Out on a Mission: KDEM brings together industry leaders, researchers & entrepreneurs, fostering culture of innovation

If India's digital dream is to get translated into reality, startups from different parts of the country must coordinate and cooperate among themselves.

- RITWIK MUKHERJEE

And not just startups, but tech players of different sizes and characters must expand to different parts of the country to create a perfect balance. That's what Sanjeev Kumar Gupta, ISS, who is currently the CEO of Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), which has been designed to function as the knowledge bridge between the Government of Karnataka and the industry ecosystem to accelerate the development of the state's IT, BT, and S&T sectors, feels.

Speaking to The Statesman, Gupta said that moves are afoot to contribute $300 billion to the prime minister's vision of a $1 trillion digital economy. KDEM is leaving no stone unturned to play a critical role in supporting technology investments, uncovering technology opportunities through research, structuring promotional efforts abroad, providing feedback on policy, and forming strategic roadmaps.

"The state governments across the country must feel the pulses of local industries in tier-II, tier-III cities, districts and other towns, understand the local demand, taste, temperaments, psyche and strength to make the development process (particularly in areas of digital economy) to successfully reach there. The state governments and other concerned bodies must have a clarity on what are the requirements of the place, what are the demands, what are the strength areas and so on, to take up some meaningful initiatives. What is most important is to define the product (or service), identify the edge and then get off the ground," he said.