Government of Karnataka Announces the 29th Edition of Bengaluru Tech Summit

2026-07-24 09:03:49 Events / Trade Shows

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Bengaluru, 24th July, 2026: Shri DK Shivakumar, Hon'ble Chief Minister, Government of Karnataka, announced the 29th edition of Asia’s largest Technology Show, Bengaluru Tech Summit, today. The event is scheduled from 17–19 November 2026 at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC), under the theme "AI & Beyond."

Building on nearly three decades of excellence, Bengaluru Tech Summit 2026 (BTS 2026) will once again serve as India's premier platform for technology and innovation, bringing together global leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, researchers and policymakers to drive collaboration and unlock new opportunities across Artificial Intelligence, DeepTech, Electronics & Semiconductors, Biotechnology, Startups, AVGC and other frontier technologies.

BTS 2026 is expected to bring together 1,800+ exhibitors, 25,000+ delegates, 1,000+ tech startups, and over 60,000 business visitors from 75+ countries and 30+ States & Union Territories of India, making it one of the most influential global platforms for technology, innovation and collaboration. The three-day summit will feature a dynamic conference programme with multiple thematic tracks, including AI & DeepTech, Fintech, Health & Biotech, Spacetech, India-USA Tech Conclave, and Global Collaboration, along with emerging focus areas such as Digital Infrastructure & Data Centres, Circular Economy, Orange Economy, and Electric Mobility.

The summit will host a large-scale multi-pavilion exhibition showcasing breakthrough innovations across sectors, alongside curated networking platforms, investor connect initiatives, and global partnerships. A key highlight will be the Future Makers programme, designed to spotlight high-potential startups and connect them with investors, mentors, and global markets. The programme will feature investor pitching sessions, one-on-one mentoring clinics, thematic discussions on scaling and fundraising, Startup Showcase and the Future Makers Conclave, bringing together a diverse community of founders, investors, innovators, and changemakers.

A key highlight of this year's edition is the co-location of the inaugural edition of embedded world India, featuring a dedicated conference track and exhibition pavilion focused on Electronics and Semiconductors. Organised in association with NuernbergMesse India, the initiative will foster deeper collaboration between global technology leaders and India's rapidly expanding electronics and semiconductor ecosystem, further strengthening Karnataka's position as a hub for advanced manufacturing and hardware innovation.

Another co-located event at BTS 2026 this year is the India edition of ChangeNow, which focuses on environmental and social solutions for the planet.

‘Conversation with Hon’ble Chief Minister’ - CEO Breakfast Meet held today

Earlier today, the Government of Karnataka also hosted its annual CEO Breakfast Meet with over 200 tech industry leaders, including the state's leading technology entrepreneurs, industry leaders, investors and policymakers for a high-level dialogue on advancing Karnataka's innovation and technology agenda.

Held in the presence of Shri D.K. Shivakumar, Hon'ble Chief Minister of Karnataka,
and Shri Priyank Kharge, Hon'ble Minister for Home, Electronics, Information Technology & Biotechnology and e-Governance, the Breakfast Meet once again served as one of the Government's most significant industry engagement platforms, reinforcing Karnataka's collaborative approach towards policy-making and innovation-led growth.

As part of the interaction, the Government formally unveiled the 29th edition of Bengaluru Tech Summit to be held from 17-19 November 2026. Dr. Manjula N., IAS, Secretary, Department of Electronics, Information Technology, Biotechnology and Science & Technology, Government of Karnataka, presented the Karnataka IT & DeepTech Landscape Progress Report 2025–26, highlighting the state's achievements, key policy interventions and the vision for Bengaluru Tech Summit 2026. She also outlined several new initiatives that will define this year's summit.

BTS 2026 is expected to build on the momentum of previous editions with an expanded exhibition, global country delegations, startup programmes, investor engagements, conference tracks and knowledge-sharing platforms, further strengthening Karnataka's position as the country's leading technology and innovation destination.

The programme featured sectoral perspectives from Shri S. Gopalakrishnan (Kris), Chairperson, Vision Group on IT, who shared his vision for strengthening Karnataka's leadership in IT and DeepTech, and Dr. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Chairperson, Vision Group on Biotechnology, who highlighted the state's expanding opportunities in biotechnology, innovation and life sciences.

Leading industry bodies such as NASSCOM, IESA, TiE Bangalore, ABLE, IVCA and ABAI brought together CEOs, founders, and innovators from IT & DeepTech, Biotech & HealthTech, Electronics & Semiconductors, Defence & Space Tech, FinTech, and AVGC who shared their perspectives on the opportunities, recommendations, challenges and priorities for Karnataka's next phase of technology-led growth in an Open House discussion.

Prominent founders and industry leaders, participated in the discussions, appreciating the State Government's collaborative approach towards strengthening Karnataka's innovation ecosystem. They also shared valuable insights and recommendations on emerging opportunities, future programmes and policy initiatives to further accelerate the State's technology-led growth.

Responding to the suggestions from industry leaders, Shri Priyank Kharge, Hon'ble Minister for Home, Electronics, Information Technology & Biotechnology and e-Governance, Government of Karnataka, reaffirmed the Government's commitment to fostering an innovation-driven economy and strengthening Karnataka's position as India's technology capital. He remarked, "One of Karnataka's greatest strengths has been the trust and partnership we have built with industry. The CEO Breakfast Meet embodies that relationship, bringing together government and industry not only to exchange ideas, but to jointly shape the State's technology agenda. We believe that listening must lead to action, and every edition of this dialogue is followed by a structured roadmap with a strong focus on implementation. As we announce Bengaluru Tech Summit 2026, we reaffirm our vision of building a globally connected innovation ecosystem that drives technological leadership, entrepreneurship and inclusive growth."

Dr. Manjula N., IAS, Secretary, Department of Electronics, Information Technology, Biotechnology and Science & Technology, Government of Karnataka, said “Karnataka’s strength lies in its ability to bring together government, industry, academia and startups to solve tomorrow’s challenges. Bengaluru Tech Summit 2026 is designed to catalyse those collaborations at a global scale. As we move ‘AI & Beyond’, our focus is on creating an ecosystem where breakthrough research, responsible innovation and entrepreneurship converge to shape the technologies and industries of the future.”

Today's CEO Breakfast Meet also marked the launch of the Innoverse Foundation, a visionary initiative of the Government of Karnataka to position the State as a global DeepTech capital. Innoverse acts as a catalyst, mentoring successful revenue generating deep-tech Startups to evolve from good product market fit to industry dominance. The Foundation empowers the next generation of industry leaders by providing critical market access, access to essential capital, and expert mentorship."

The programme also announced the inaugural Open Call for Innoverse Foundation's DeepTech Enabler Program. This was accompanied by the unveiling of the campaign visual identity.

The programme also featured Felicitation Ceremony of the 33 winners of the Elevate NxT 2026 (DeepTech) programme. Launched in January 2026 as India's first-of-its-kind initiative, ELEVATE NxT received an overwhelming response, attracting 983 applications from DeepTech startups across the country.

Of the 33 winning startup founders, 24 are from Bengaluru, four from other regions of Karnataka (Hoskote, Udupi, Bidar and Hubballi), and five from Delhi, Maharashtra and Telangana. Notably, 12 are women-led startups, reflecting the growing diversity of India's DeepTech ecosystem. Each winner will receive a grant-in-aid of ₹85 lakh to ₹1 crore to support R&D and product development.

Another highlight of the programme was the unveiling of a specially curated video offering a preview of the upcoming Museum of Innovation, Startup & Technology in Bengaluru.

As Bengaluru prepares to host the world once again this November, Bengaluru Tech Summit 2026 promises to bring together the brightest minds in technology to explore what lies beyond AI, driving innovation, global partnerships and transformative ideas that will shape the future.