Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM) Commenced Elevate Kalyana Karnataka Yatra to Bolster Digital Economy in ‘Beyond Bengaluru’ Clusters

Bengaluru, August 24, 2022: The Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), as part of its Spoke-shore Strategy’ to attract companies to set up operations in cities ‘Beyond Bengaluru’, commenced its 18-day-long Elevate Kalyana Karnataka Yatra from Kalaburagi today. It aims at promoting its ELEVATE program and supporting the rapid, high-tech-driven economic growth in tier 2 and 3 regions while proliferating the growth of the digital economy in clusters beyond Bangalore.

The Elevate Kalyana Karnataka Yatra aims to scout grass root level entrepreneurs in cities beyond Bengaluru for the right social and economic impact to make its mark. Karnataka. This Yatra will act as a platform to build a robust startup ecosystem in tier 2 and 3 regions of Karnataka while spotlighting skill development, employment generation, and overall development across Karnataka. The Yatra is a part of the ‘Beyond Bengaluru’ initiative by KDEM to aid in building a community of key industry players, entrepreneurs, start-up owners, academia, accelerators, and the student community, the Yatra in the long will steer towards getting investments and generating employment in the state.

The Yatra will take the participants to 8 different districts in Karnataka starting from Kalaburagi on 23rd August 2022, Yadgir on 24th August, Bidar on 25th & 26th August, Bellary on 5th September, Vijayanagara on 6th September, Koppal on 7th September, and last leg of the yatra will conclude at Raichur on 8th September 2022. The 18-day-long Yatra will cover the entire Kalyana Karnataka hub journey with 7 boot camps covering 7 educational institutes and 8 districts of Karnataka.

Congratulating KDEM on the launch of the Yatra, Dr. C N Ashwath Narayana, Minister for Higher Education; IT & BT, Science & Technology; Skill Development, Entrepreneurship & Livelihood said, “Karnataka is on track to achieve sustainable, equitable, and inclusive growth through policies designed in all sectors to improve state productivity, employment opportunities, wages, and outcomes. Elevate Kalyan Karnataka program will create an enabling environment for innovation in the region. The program aims to select 25 innovative startups in the Kalyana Karnataka region [comprising Kalaburagi, Bidar, Raichur, Yadagiri, Koppal, Bellary, and Vijayanagar districts] in collaboration with Kalyan Karnataka Region Development Board (KKRDB). We are moving in the right direction to create a strong innovation conducive environment for talented people to find opportunities and grow throughout the state.”

Shri Dattatreya Revoor, Hon’ble MLA Kalburgi South & Chairman Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board (KKRDB) said “The Elevate Kalyana Karnataka will provide a boost to our region and accelerate creating Startups in the new emerging tech clusters. Elevate Kalyana Karnataka Yatra is a step in the direction to harness the unlimited potential of the digital economy of the Kalyana Karnataka Region to transform the lives of the people here. The first-of-kind Elevate Kalyana Karnataka Yatra will offer a platform for entrepreneurs, students, and startups across Karnataka to join in the journey of India’s digital economy mission. Participants can seek support at the bootcamps to realize their Startup dream by getting incubated at excellent facilities and taking their business to the next level.”

Commenting on the program, Dr. E V Ramana Reddy, ACS, Dept. of Electronics, IT, Bt and S&T, Govt. of Karnataka said,”The impact of Karnataka’s start-up policy has made the state known as Silicon Valley and start-up hub of India. Karnataka was the first state that introduced a start-up policy way back in 2015. Under the ELEVATE Idea2PoC initiative, the Karnataka government supported with grants to leverage the start-up ecosystem and its revenue growth. The program will now support 25 start-ups from the Kalyana Karnataka regions. The Government of Karnataka has been at the forefront in enabling a healthy start-up ecosystem in the state and will continue to support the policy framework for the growth of start-ups in the Kalyana Karnataka regions.“

Shri. Prashanth Prakash, Partner – Accel & Chairman, Vision Group for Startups, Government of Karnataka added, “Karnataka has nurtured a very vibrant and healthy start-up ecosystem making it one of the global hotspots not only for India but for the ASEAN Region. The ELEVATE program has been a global role model program that has provided support to more than 720 startups with 165+ crores. Karnataka was the first state in India to start a grant and aid startups that was equity free. The Elevate Scheme was launched by the Department of, IT, BT & S&T to identify and nurture innovation in the state. ThroughElevate Kalyana Karnataka, our vision is to help Entrepreneurs / Startups by supporting them with investments and policy interventions by leveraging the innovation ecosystem available in the State.”

The ELEVATE program was intended to identify top innovative startups in Karnataka, who would be given Government support to scale up their product or solution so that they can elevate their growth to the next level. Department of IT, BT& S&T is inviting Applications from Innovative Entrepreneurs and startups for Kalyana Karnataka 2022. This year there is a Elevate – Idea2PoC in-aid for start-ups special call launched for the Kalyana Karnataka region to foster entrepreneurship.

Mr. Sanjeev Gupta, CEO, KDEM said, “At KDEM, one of the core objectives is to promote the creation of Job Givers (Entrepreneurs), groom talent acceleration in the cluster through Programs and increase the demand from Global Capacity Centers, Information Technology Companies to establish Offices in these Cluster’s Beyond Bengaluru. Our vision is to create entrepreneurs who are job givers not job seekers. Through Elevate Kalyana Karnataka, we will ensure support to ELEVATE companies through effective mentoring & acceleration programs. Last year, we witnessed a jump of 1500+ applicants and our goal will be to go above and beyond in creating a robust entrepreneur ecosystem in clusters ‘Beyond Bengaluru.”