Government is committed to supporting startups in Kalyana Karnataka: Priyank Kharge

Home Minister Priyank Kharge speaks during a panel discussion at the Kalyana Karnataka Startup Dialogue-2026 in Kalaburagi on November 14, 2026.

The Karnataka government will extend all necessary support to entrepreneurs in Kalyana Karnataka to establish and expand startups by facilitating access to investment, mentorship, technology and market linkages, Minister for Home, Information Technology and Biotechnology (IT-BT) and E-Governance and Kalaburagi District In-charge Priyank Kharge said on Saturday (November 14, 2026).

Speaking at the ‘Kalyana Karnataka Startup Dialogue-2026’ in Kalaburagi, he urged young entrepreneurs to come forward with innovative ideas and pursue their business ventures with determination.

Referring to his government’s policies and schemes for encouraging start-ups, Mr. Kharge urged the young entrepreneurs to study the initiatives and identify the support available for their ventures. “If existing policies do not address their specific requirements, they should bring the gaps to the government’s notice. We are ready to formulate suitable new schemes and stand by young entrepreneurs,” he said.

Pointing out that Bengaluru contributed around 41% to the State’s GDP, he said Kalaburagi’s contribution was estimated at 1.9%. “The government aimed to increase this to 3%, which would require concerted efforts across sectors, including education, agriculture and manufacturing. Startups would play a significant role in accelerating the economic growth of Kalyana Karnataka,” he added.

Mr. Kharge said the State government’s ELEVATE programme had supported the establishment of around 1,500 startups over the past 10 years. “Selected startups were eligible for financial assistance of up to ₹50 lakh. Startups based outside Bengaluru currently accounted for around 28% of the total, and the government was working to increase this proportion by encouraging entrepreneurship across the State,” he said and added that a scheme was also being planned to provide selected entrepreneurs working in the deep-tech sector with financial assistance of up to ₹1 crore over the next 10 years.

Emphasising that startups should not remain confined to Bengaluru but expand to tier-II and tier-III cities, Mr. Kharge said the government had introduced the Local Economy Accelerator Programme (LEAP) to strengthen local economies and encourage young people to become job creators rather than job seekers.

“Young entrepreneurs needed to understand market demand, business management, product positioning and customer outreach. Having an innovative idea alone was not be sufficient; they also needed the skills to turn it into a sustainable business. Interaction and mentoring programmes involving entrepreneurs and industry experts are being organised to help them acquire these skills,” Mr. Kharge said.

The minister said that the government was also taking up several initiatives to promote artificial intelligence (AI) in Kalyana Karnataka and incubation centres were being established to encourage startups.

Medical Education Minister Dr. Sharan Prakash Patil, Srikrishna Sridhar Murthy of Sattva Consulting and Prashanth Prakash, Founding Partner of Accel India, shared their views and experiences at the interaction. KrishiKalpa Foundation CEO C.M. Patil moderated the discussion.

Earlier, K. Ullas Kamath, founder of UK&Co, delivered a special address on the growth of local entrepreneurship and the skills required to build successful businesses.