BENGALURU: The state government is set to unveil the next phase of its Global Innovation Alliance (GIA 2.0) at Bridge to Bengaluru 2026 in New Delhi on April 17, to further strengthen the state’s global innovation footprint.
Speaking at a press conference here on Wednesday, IT-BT Minister Priyank Kharge said the initiative marks a shift from “dialogue to delivery”, enabling startups and companies to access global markets while bringing international innovation ecosystems closer to Karnataka. He added that the state is entering a ‘Deep Tech Decade’, with a focus on strengthening the innovation value chain from research and talent to capital and market access.
Over the past one year, Karnataka has hosted multiple GIA programmes, including international mixers, webinars and market access initiatives for fintech, health tech, clean tech and biotech startups to connect with global investors and institutions, he added.
Priyank also said that Bridge to Bengaluru 2026 will serve as the global showcase for the GIA 2.0, bringing together representatives from 75 countries, including governments, diplomats, startups and industry leaders.
Launched as a first-of-its-kind initiative, GIA has emerged as a platform for global innovation with partnerships in over 40 countries, supports over 2,000 startups and turns Karnataka into a gateway for global innovation ecosystems. GIA 2.0 aims to deepen sector-specific partnerships across emerging domains such as deep tech and artificial intelligence.
The event will act as a precursor to the Bengaluru Tech Summit 2026, scheduled for November.