K'taka govt approves 4 initiatives worth over Rs 27 Cr to boost startups, deeptech

The Karnataka government has approved four strategic initiatives worth over Rs 27 crore, aimed at accelerating startup growth, fostering industry- academia collaboration, advancing biotechnology infrastructure, and promoting indigenous deep-tech innovation, Minister for IT & BT Priyank Kharge said.

The initiatives are being implemented through the Department of Electronics, Information Technology, Biotechnology and Science & Technology, Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society (KITS), Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), leading academic institutions, and ecosystem partners.

“These approvals reflect Karnataka’s commitment to investing across the full innovation spectrum—from startups and talent development to frontier research in biotechnology, genomics and medical robotics. By strengthening regional innovation ecosystems, industry-academia partnerships and deep-tech research capabilities, we are creating the foundations for the next generation of jobs, enterprises and scientific breakthroughs," Kharge was quoted as saying by his office in a statement.

These initiatives will further reinforce Karnataka’s position as India’s leading innovation and technology hub.

Two of the approved initiatives are being implemented under the Local Economy Accelerator Programme (LEAP), the government’s flagship initiative to strengthen innovation ecosystems beyond Bengaluru and create new opportunities for entrepreneurship, talent development and economic growth across Karnataka’s emerging regional hubs.

The government has approved the establishment of a K-Combinator Startup Accelerator at "WrkWrk", Mangaluru, in collaboration with TiE-Mangaluru under the Local Economy Accelerator Programme (LEAP).

With an approved investment of Rs 9.26 crore over five years, the initiative seeks to nurture high-potential startups from the Udupi-Mangaluru region through structured acceleration, mentorship, market access, funding linkages, and ecosystem integration, the release said.

The accelerator is designed to support startups at Proof-of-Concept (PoC) and Minimum Viable Product (MVP) stages, helping them achieve product-market fit and scale sustainably, it said, adding the programme aims to build a pipeline of globally competitive startups while strengthening collaboration among industry, academia, investors, and government stakeholders.

Further, under LEAP’s Karnataka Startup Foundry component, the government has approved the implementation of the Super 100 Industry-Academia Adoption Programme (Super 100 IAAP) at an estimated cost of Rs 7.47 crore over three years in partnership with Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM).

The programme will create structured one-to-one partnerships between 100 leading industry partners and 100 higher education institutions, particularly in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities across Karnataka.

Through curriculum alignment, mentorship, real-world project engagement, faculty development, and innovation-led research collaborations, the initiative aims to bridge the gap between academic learning and industry requirements.

The programme is expected to significantly improve graduate employability, institutional competitiveness, and regional innovation capacity while creating a sustainable model for long-term industry-academia engagement, it added.

The government has also sanctioned the development of an Advanced Surgical Assistive Robot (ASAR), a Collaborative Robot (COBOT) for Neurosurgical Applications, with an approved budget of Rs 3.66 crore over three years.

The project will be jointly undertaken by the International Institute of Information Technology, Bengaluru (IIIT-B) and the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS).

The initiative seeks to develop an indigenous, modular and cost-effective robotic platform capable of enhancing precision, safety and accessibility in neurosurgical procedures. The ASAR platform will integrate advanced imaging, sensors, multi-tool surgical capabilities, real-time monitoring systems and software-driven surgical assistance.

The government has also approved the vertical expansion of infrastructure at the Centre for Human Genetics (CHG), Bengaluru, to accommodate the newly established Institute of Advanced Genome Editing and Gene Therapy (IAGEGT) and other biotechnology-based laboratories.

The project, with an estimated outlay of Rs 6.80 crore over two years, will create approximately 1,500 square metres of advanced scientific infrastructure, including ISO-certified clean rooms, tissue culture laboratories and Next- Generation Sequencing (NGS) facilities.

Strengthening Karnataka’s position as India’s leading innovation hub collectively, these initiatives represent a strategic investment of Rs 27.19 crore towards nurturing startups, promoting industry-academia partnerships, strengthening biotechnology research infrastructure, and advancing indigenous deep-tech solutions, the release added.