Karnataka to push for greater participation of Kannadigas in technology sector

Govt. to set up mechanism to identify students and get them trained by experts

Deputy Chief Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan, Infosys co-founder Kris Gopalakrishnan, and Biocon chairperson and managing director Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw at a media conference in Bengaluru on Tuesday.

The State government will set up a special mechanism to identify brilliant school students and train them in life and career skills with the help of a select group of mentors from industry and institutes. This initiative will be launched to increase the participation of Kannadigas in the technology sector, said C.N. Ashwath Narayan, Deputy Chief Minister, at the curtain-raiser of Bengaluru Tech Summit 2019 on Tuesday.

This year, the State’s annual tech exposition, scheduled to commence on November 18, will see students from all over the State participating in a robotics championship. “The event will not only provide a platform for these students to share their knowledge with fellow students, but will also be a fun learning experience for them under the guidance of academicians and industry experts,” he said.

“The favourable ecosystem in Bengaluru has led to the rise of unicorns who have scripted entrepreneurial success and have effectively placed the city on the global map,” said Mr. Narayan who also holds the IT, BT, and Science and Technology portfolio. (In startup terminology, unicorns are used to represent the statistical rarity of successful ventures.)

E.V. Ramana Reddy, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of IT, BT and Science and Technology, said the event would have eminent personalities deliberating on thought leadership and innovators presenting path-breaking ideas, while expert speakers would offer insights into future opportunities and the latest technology and industry trends.

The three-day summit will have in-depth sessions on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, space and drone revolutions, smart biotechnology, synthetic biology, engineering, precision medicine, immunologic in cancer care and bio-therapeutics. It will also feature sessions on venture capitalist pitching, networking, and global opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Regulatory measures

At the summit, the government will announce a specific regulatory measure to enhance innovation in the State. “We are currently engaging with various shareholders to develop a relaxed regulatory framework. To speed up the decision-making process, the government will also introduce a mechanism for startups to interact with the government and industry,” Mr. Narayan said.