Karnataka Reworks Global Innovation Alliance for Long-Term International Tech Partnerships

The Karnataka government is restructuring its Global Innovation Alliance (GIA) to turn international technology partnerships into longer-term market, startup, and institutional collaborations, while planning a permanent physical hub in Bengaluru for overseas innovation agencies, startups, and delegations.

The new GIA Engagement Framework will organise international partnerships across four areas—global startup mobility and market access, institutional partnerships, global visibility and strategic engagements, and governance through a dedicated International Desk.

The state is also developing the Global Innovation and Growth Alliance (GIGA), a dedicated physical space in Bengaluru that will provide overseas startups, innovation agencies, institutions, and trade delegations with workspace, meeting, and programme facilities. The proposed hub will connect international partners with Karnataka's Centres of Excellence, incubators, universities, companies, investors. and startups.

The initiatives were announced at the GIA Meet hosted by the Department of Electronics, IT and Biotechnology on Tuesday to promote the Bengaluru Tech Summit (BTS) 2026.

The move comes as Karnataka seeks to move beyond one-off international delegations and events towards more structured and reciprocal technology partnerships. The GIA network, launched in 2017 under the Karnataka Unit for International Cooperation, has grown from 10 countries in 2018 to more than 40 countries in 2026.

The GIGA initiative intends to provide a more permanent entry point into Karnataka's technology ecosystem. International partners will be able to establish a local presence, explore market opportunities, and build collaborations with startups, research institutions, investors, and industry rather than limiting engagement to summit participation.

The Bengaluru Tech Summit 2026 will be held from November 17 to 19 at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC).

The summit will be organised around the theme "AI & Beyond", with tracks covering AI, IT and deeptech, semiconductors and electronics, digital health and biotechnology, data and cybersecurity, startups, global collaboration, and the India-US Tech Conclave.

The GIA Meet brought together representatives from countries including Sweden, Italy, Australia, Poland, Switzerland, Austria, the Netherlands, the US, Vietnam, Denmark, Belgium, Luxembourg, Israel, France, South Korea, Spain, Japan, Canada, Germany, Tunisia, the Czech Republic, and New Zealand.

The Karnataka government said partner countries have been invited to participate in BTS 2026 through country pavilions, conference sessions, delegations and other programmes, signalling a broader push to position Bengaluru as a sustained gateway for global technology and innovation partnerships.