CM Siddaramaiah assures a seamless ecosystem to attract investment, talent and opportunities at "Bengaluru Tech Summit"

Bengaluru: The government of Karnataka on Wednesday released the draft document of the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) policy and a revised draft of the biotechnology policy at the Bengaluru Tech Summit 2023.

Earlier, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah inaugurated the 26th edition of the three-day technology meet at the sprawling Bangalore Palace Grounds with the theme 'Breaking Boundaries'.

Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said, "The policy revision reflects our commitment to staying ahead of the curve and fostering growth in the critical sector."

Recognising the evolving landscape of technology and creativity, Siddaramaiah said the government had understood the importance of Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) which has spurred it to launch the new AVGC-XR policy which is a testament to the government's commitment and progressive approach in leading India's AVGC sector towards achieving global excellence.

The chief minister said the state has consistently held the top position in Niti Ayog's India Innovation Index for the last three years and that the state has been recognised as the top performer in DPIIT's ranking.

He said the Karnataka government is focused on building a seamless ecosystem that attracts investment, talent and opportunities.

"We want Karnataka to be seen as the hub with an 'end-to-end ecosystem' for innovating and growing businesses," he said. The chief minister added that the government will aim to bridge the digital divide to ensure the benefits of technology reach every citizen, regardless of their background.

He said the government aims to bridge this gap through targeted initiatives by utilising the power of data and analytics to drive informed decision-making in governance, adding that, 'Beyond Bengaluru' is one such initiative.

He also said the government will invest in infrastructure to support the next wave of innovation, foster collaboration between industry and academia and create policies that propel Karnataka to new heights on the global tech stage.

Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar appealed to the industry captains to extend a helping hand to enhance the level of education in rural areas and upgrade the skills of students studying in rural areas.

Industry and technology captains from 30 countries are participating in the Bengaluru Tech Summit 2023 which is being organised by the Information Technology and Biotechnology department of the government of Karnataka in association with Software Technology Parks of India. The summit will host technical sessions over the three days until December 1.

Sari Multala, minister of science and culture of Finland and Dr Volker Wissing, minister of digital affairs and transport of Germany spoke on the occasion in recorded video messages.

IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge, Large and Medium Industries Minister MB Patil, Mark Papermaster, Executive Vice-President and CTO of AMD, Rishad Premji, Executive Chairman of Wipro, Vandita Sharma, Chief Secretary, Government of Karnataka, Arvind Kumar, Director General, STPI, Dr Kiran Mazumadar Shaw, Chairperson, Vision Group on Biotechnology and Executive Chairperson of Biocon, Dr Ekroop Caur, Secretary, Department of Electronics, IT-BT and S&T, government of Karnataka, Darshan H V, Director, Department of Electronics, IT-BT and S&T and Managing Director, KITS and B V Naidu, Director, Karnataka Digital Economy Mission among others were also present.