Karnataka to Launch Inclusive Incubator and Assistive Tech Centre for People with Disabilities

At the Bengaluru Skill Summit, Karnataka’s IT Minister, Priyank Kharge, announced plans to launch an Inclusive Incubator and Centre for Assistive Tech Excellence for persons with disabilities, in partnership with the Assistive Tech Foundation.

Kharge highlighted a previous session at the event that discussed how inclusion can serve as a catalyst for economic and social growth by broadening access to skills across gender, geography, and socio-economic divides.

He credited Prateek Madhav, the CEO of the Assistive Tech Foundation (ATF), who spoke at the inclusion session on proposing a collaborative initiative.

Kharge added that this programme could be a joint initiative between multiple state departments. “I was suggesting that the Department of Skill Development, the Department of IT, and the Women and Child Welfare Department come together and work this out.”

Additionally, Kharge highlighted the growing global talent gap as a key driver for these initiatives. “The world faces a shortage of nearly 86 million skilled professionals,” he said. “If we can increase productivity by even 1% of our workforce through the right skill sets, we add $2.7 billion to the state economy.”

“We no longer pitch Karnataka as an investment destination,” Kharge declared. “Everybody gives incentives and subsidies. What makes us unique is that we position ourselves as a skill capital and a knowledge destination.”

Kharge highlighted the growing global talent gap as a key driver for the program. “The world faces a shortage of nearly 86 million skilled professionals,” he said. “If we can increase productivity by even 1% of our workforce through the right skill sets, we add $2.7 billion to the state economy.”

On Monday, Kharge also announced an ambitious “Deep Tech Decade” initiative, positioning the state as India’s hub for AI, machine learning, and emerging technologies, AIM reported. 

This initiative will launch on November 18 with an investment of ₹600 crores to foster innovation. This, along with other initiatives, aims to decentralise innovation by creating new centres of excellence and incubators in regions like Mangaluru, Dharwad, and Belagavi, beyond Bengaluru.

The Deep Tech Decade is part of Karnataka’s broader skill strategy, which includes the skill policy and the Nipuna reskilling and upskilling programme, one of India’s largest initiatives, targeting employment opportunities for three million people. The programmes also emphasise AI literacy, women’s participation in the tech workforce, and global employability.