The Karnataka Cabinet has endorsed the Start-Up Policy 2025-2030, a five-year plan designed to enhance the state's innovation landscape and foster 25,000 new startups, with 10,000 originating from areas outside Bengaluru.

With a total investment of Rs 518.27 crore, the policy aims to establish Karnataka as a “Champion State” in the startup sector, enhancing support in areas like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Blockchain, Quantum Computing, and DeepTech.

The policy emphasizes seven main intervention areas: funding and grants, infrastructure and incubation support, skill development and mentoring, access to markets, collaboration at the international level, sustainability and inclusion, along with facilitation of regulations.

It also aims to strengthen global collaborations, encourage entrepreneurship outside urban areas, and advocate for business models driven by social impact.

"Karnataka has established itself as the dominant force in India's start-up ecosystem, significantly contributing to the nation's status as a global center for innovation and entrepreneurship," stated Priyank Kharge, Minister for Rural Development & Panchayat Raj and IT & Biotechnology.

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This strategic initiative will enhance impact-focused business models, encourage social entrepreneurship, and foster inclusive growth in the State.

Karnataka hosts over 18,000 registered startups, making up almost 15 percent of all DPIIT-recognized startups in India. The state also supports nearly 50 of India’s 118 unicorns, reinforcing its position as a top innovation center.

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The State has further developed its Global Innovation Alliances (GIA) initiative, forming partnerships with more than 30 countries to assist startups in reaching global markets and working together with international innovation centers. Key sectors within the initiative focus on renewable energy, clean technologies, and the circular economy, allowing local innovations to expand internationally.

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Furthermore, the Department of Electronics, IT, Bt and S&T has initiated the Grand Challenges Program, a platform for startups to create innovative solutions tackling Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) challenges and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).