BENGALURU: In a strong push towards balanced regional development, the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) hosted a session -- Beyond Bangalore - Unlocking the Digital Potential of Tier 2 & Tier 3 Cities -- in the city on Tuesday. The event spotlighted the urgent imperative to expand Karnataka’s digital economy beyond the capital and catalyse growth in emerging cities.
FKCCI President M G Balakrishna gave a clarion call to IT and digital enterprises to look beyond Bengaluru and harness the untapped potential of cities like Mysuru, Hassan, Shivamogga, Davanagere and Udupi. Citing concerns over Bengaluru’s urban saturation, he emphasised the advantages offered by Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities — including lower costs, abundant talent and improving infrastructure.
“It’s time we ease the pressure on Bengaluru and fuel Karnataka’s next wave of growth from the grassroots. Mysuru is a shining example of how digital transformation can succeed outside metro limits,” said Balakrishna.
FKCCI’s IT & BT Committee Chairman H A Kiran echoed this sentiment, stressing the strategic value of the Hub-and-Spoke model introduced by the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM). “This model enables Bengaluru to serve as a digital anchor while smaller cities rise as innovation spokes. It’s scalable, sustainable and future-ready,” he said.
Indie Village (Manipal) founder Shreekanth Arimanithaya spoke on rural digital empowerment. Sharing Indie Village’s transformation story, he explained how 300-400 professionals in Manipal now deliver world-class digital services from a non-metro location — a testament to the power of vision, technology and local talent.
KDEM General Manager Sudheer Shankar spotlighted Mysuru’s success story and extended an open invitation to stakeholders for the Big Tech Show on July 4 at the Infosys Campus there. “The Beyond Bangalore initiative is not just a strategy — it’s a movement. It’s time we take it forward with collective resolve,” he urged.