BENGALURU: In a bid to advance the animation, visual effects, gaming, and comics (AVGC) sector through advanced technology and enhanced facilities, the Department of Electronics, Information Technology, Biotechnology, and Science and Technology of Karnataka has entered into a three-year partnership with the Association for Behaviour Analysis International (ABAI) to establish the AVGC Centre of Excellence (CoE) 2.0.
The collaboration aligns with the AVGC-XR Policy 3.0 introduced by the state government, building on the infrastructure and resources established during the first phase. The initiative will focus on creating a virtual-cum-hybrid incubation space to incentivise startups in Bengaluru and six other locations across Karnataka. This will offer a plug-and-play facility for startups at subsidised rates, enhancing the current momentum towards greater self-sufficiency and industry participation.
Additionally, the CoE will provide skilling and upskilling opportunities by utilising facilities in Bengaluru, including a mini data centre with cloud connectivity and production technologies on a co-working basis. As part of the collaboration, high-end servers and storage with graphic capabilities will be available to create efficiency and cost-effectiveness for startups, SMEs, and studios aiming for hyper-scale production.
A data storage centre and render farm with cloud accessibility will also be established, enabling startups from emerging clusters like Mysuru and Mangaluru to access these facilities.
IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge emphasised the strategic importance of the rapidly expanding AVGC sector. He noted that the sector is growing at an impressive CAGR of 10.94%, with projections of $282.3 billion globally and $4.2 billion in India by FY2026-27. The minister said this would create up to 30,000 employment opportunities and advancing skill development through a series of proactive initiatives during the AVGC Policy 3.0, 2024-29.