Mangaluru: This is the best time for entrepreneurship in Mangaluru. The district’s per capita GDP reached Rs 6.6 lakh, which means it is currently the 8th richest district in India,” said Shashir Shetty, chief growth officer, Niveus Solutions, part of NTT Data. Speaking at a panel discussion on ‘Entrepreneurship in Mangalore: what’s working, what’s next’ as part of Evolve Biz Insight-2026 on Saturday, he noted that the district recorded nearly seven crore tourist footfall last year, though a lot of it was driven by temples. At this point, we are getting a lot of support from the govt. The GDP figures clearly indicate that Mangaluru has a strong base of consumers with significant spending capacity, as well as an inflow of people who can spend. The city is also seeing a lot of agri-tech companies coming up and doing well, he said.
Dion Monteiro, director of Rohan Corporation India Pvt Limited, said, “Mangaluru is well connected, and we can accommodate people to come in and grow. We have a land bank to bring in more global companies, more MSMEs, more investments, and more funds.”Shriya, chief and co-founder, Buco, said anybody who started a business from scratch and was new to it understands that a founder is a glorified free worker for the business. The only thing that differentiates us is the undying passion and madness of sorts, which actually fuels us to move further.Bimba Manoj, managing partner, Shree Garodi Steels, said, “Policy changes introduced by the govt or banks are important, though from a business perspective they can sometimes be irritating, as one has to deal with numerous policies and frequent revisions. However, it is essential to be proactive in adapting to these changes, stay alert, and avoid getting stuck. Being agile and responsive helps businesses navigate challenges and seize opportunities. When you are growing, support from the banking sector is important,” she said.Roopalaxmi Pedamale, site head and software development manager, NCR Atleos Corporation, spoke about how digital tools can be used to expand markets. Mangaluru City South MLA D Vedavyas Kamath assured support for women’s entrepreneurship.
