Bengaluru: Firm in retaining its position as India’s startup capital amid rising competition and evolving technological shifts, the state govt on Tuesday held a high-level meeting of its ‘Vision Group on Startups’ to take stock of the ecosystem and set the course for the next phase of growth, with a sharp focus on deep tech, regional expansion and stronger funding pipelines. Chaired by venture capitalist Prashant Prakash, the Vision Group brings together leaders from industry, academia and the startup ecosystem to guide policy and strategic direction.During the meeting, the members along with the top officials from the IT and BT department reviewed the progress of key initiatives and discussed measures to strengthen Karnataka’s position as India’s leading startup and deep tech hub. “Karnataka has built one of the strongest startup ecosystems in the country, and the next phase of growth will be driven by deep tech innovation, stronger industry-academia collaboration and expansion into emerging regions,” said Prashant Prakash. “The Vision Group is focused on ensuring that Karnataka continues to create high-impact startups, while also improving access to capital, mentorship and market opportunities.”Voicing similar views, N Manjula, IAS, secretary, department of electronics, IT, biotechnology and science & technology, said the govt is working towards building a more inclusive ecosystem. “The govt is focused on creating a more accessible and inclusive startup ecosystem across the state, with targeted interventions to support founders at every stage of their journey,” she said, adding that improved infrastructure and programme delivery would be key to enabling growth beyond Bengaluru.Among the key focus areas discussed during the meeting was strengthening the deep tech ecosystem by expanding centres of excellence in areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing and electronics. The govt is also considering a hub-and-spoke model to extend capabilities to emerging cities. The Vision Group also emphasised the need to push startup growth beyond Bengaluru by organising district-level hackathons, boot camps and targeted interventions in Tier 2 and Tier 3 regions.On the funding front, members discussed strengthening existing initiatives such as the Elevate programme and rolling out an “Elevate Next” initiative aimed at supporting deep tech startups with higher-value funding, along with faster disbursement and improved monitoring mechanisms. Enhancing the startup policy framework was another key priority, with proposed measures including increased patent support, R&D grants, internship assistance and incentives for employers. Officials also underlined the need for better data systems to track startup performance and improve Karnataka’s standing in national rankings.The meeting also focused on expanding incubation infrastructure, mentorship networks and co-working spaces across key cities, while boosting global partnerships to position Karnataka as a leading innovation hub. The Vision Group stressed the importance of a more integrated, founder-centric ecosystem with stronger alignment across funding, incubation, mentorship and market access to drive the next phase of growth. The meeting was attended by senior govt officials including N Manjula and Rahul Sharanappa Sankannur, IAS, along with several industry representatives.
