The Karnataka government has decided to set up three Centres of Excellence (CoE) in Mangaluru under the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission’s (KDEM) ‘Beyond Bengaluru’ initiative, according to CN Ashwath Narayan, Karnataka Minister for Electronics, Information Technology, Biotechnology, Science and Technology, Higher Education, Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood.
Speaking at ‘Mangaluru Technovanza’ as part of the ‘Beyond Bengaluru’ initiative of KDEM in Mangaluru on Saturday, he said the government is setting up three CoEs in the areas of AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Cartoon), fintech and cybersecurity.
“We have identified Mangaluru as a prime contributor towards the country’s tech aspirations and will wholly invest in the cluster’s people, ideas, and entrepreneurial spirit,” he said. The Minister said that ‘Mangaluru Innovation Hub’, through Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation Limited (KEONICS), would be set up in a space of 2 lakh sq ft.
This hub would help facilitate the growth of emerging industries in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada and Kodagu, which belong to Mangaluru cluster, he said.
‘Going beyond Bengaluru’
EV Ramana Reddy, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Electronics, IT, BT, Science and Technology of Karnataka government, said emerging clusters outside Bengaluru such as Mangaluru are exerting more significant influence.
Stating that the government has undertaken efforts to accelerate Mangaluru’s growth, he said the Karnataka government with the support of KDEM has set up a cluster seed fund of ₹25 crore exclusively for start-ups in Mangaluru as part of ‘Beyond Bengaluru’ initiative.
BV Naidu, Chairman of KDEM, said KDEM is working towards launching the CoE in fintech in Mangaluru, and said it will be a milestone achievement in the region.
He said, “With proactive industry participation, we expect to position Mangaluru as a global fintech hub and connect with companies who want to take advantage of Mangaluru’s dynamic environment. In this regard, Technovanza allowed us to assess our current growth, vocalise our plans for the region to the larger industry ecosystem, hear their feedback, and think about a way forward. This shared agenda will benefit our partners and us in identifying problems and solving them so that investors and businesses can easily be set up in Mangaluru and strengthen the regional market.”