The two-day Mysuru Big Tech Show-2026, organised under the State government’s ‘Beyond Bengaluru’ initiative, concluded on Thursday with industry leaders, start-ups, policymakers and academicians coming together to chart a roadmap for strengthening Mysuru’s digital economy.
The annual technology and innovation event, organised by the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), at Infosys campus is aimed at positioning Mysuru as a preferred investment destination beyond Bengaluru, and a leading Tier-II innovation hub.
The event was inaugurated in the presence of S. Selva Kumar, Principal Secretary, Department of Commerce and Industries; Manjula N., Secretary, Department of Electronics, IT, Biotechnology and Science & Technology; B. V. Naidu, chairman, KDEM; Sanjeev Kumar Gupta, CEO, KDEM; D. Sudhanva, Lead Industry Anchor, Mysuru Cluster, and Chairman and Managing Director, Excelsoft Technologies; Avinash Menon, Managing Director, Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society (KITS); and other dignitaries.
A fireside chat held after the inaugural session featured Dr. Selva Kumar and Dr. Manjula in conversation with Sanjeev Kumar Gupta on Karnataka’s digital economy and Mysuru’s position in the technology ecosystem.
Dr. Manjula said the State government has placed special emphasis on attracting investments to Mysuru and other Tier-II cities, with Mysuru emerging as the top priority under the ‘Beyond Bengaluru’ initiative. She said Mysuru is well positioned to become a major technology destination outside Bengaluru.
Dr. Selva Kumar said Karnataka has emerged as the country’s second-largest recipient of foreign direct investment (FDI) after Maharashtra, reflecting the State’s strong industrial and investment climate.
Describing Mysuru as one of the biggest success stories under the ‘Beyond Bengaluru’ initiative, he said the city has become the most preferred destination after Bengaluru due to its strong talent pool, improving infrastructure and growing electronics manufacturing ecosystem.
“Mysuru’s digital economy is on a strong growth trajectory. The city has the talent ecosystem, infrastructure and entrepreneurial mindset required to attract investments. While it has already made significant progress, it has the potential to grow much further,” he said.
He said the State’s broader objective is to decongest Bengaluru by promoting cities such as Mysuru, Hubballi, Mangaluru, Belagavi and Kalaburagi for attracting investments.
Dr. Selva Kumar also announced that an Electronics Manufacturing Cluster (EMC) is coming up at Kochanahalli near Mysuru on a 252-acre land parcel with plug-and-play infrastructure, supported by the Union government. The cluster is expected to attract PCB manufacturers and other electronics industries. “The time is right for Mysuru to grow. Investors must recognise the city’s potential, and the government is ready to support and collaborate with industry to achieve mutual growth,” he added.
KDEM CEO Sanjeev Kumar Gupta said Mysuru’s digital economy is currently valued at $1.3 billion, with a target of scaling it up to $10 billion in the coming years. He said the city’s exports have reached around ₹5,700 crore, while more than 650 registered start-ups are currently operating in Mysuru.
Dr. Manjula also outlined several skilling initiatives undertaken by the department to improve industry readiness among young professionals. She cited Nipuna, the State’s corporate skilling programme, which has already benefited over 6,000 candidates by enhancing their employability.
She expressed confidence that Mysuru would witness substantial growth in the IT, biotechnology and electronics sectors over the next four to five years. She urged major research institutions to support the government for establishing centres of excellence.
Published - July 23, 2026 08:43 pm IST