MANGALURU: More than 40 new IT companies have established operations in Coastal Karnataka over the past two years, industry and community stakeholders said on Thursday, pushing back against claims that Mangaluru’s perceived communal image is deterring investors. The joint statement follows recent remarks by IT-BT Minister Priyank Kharge, suggesting that investor hesitation was linked to concerns about the region’s image.
Representatives of CII, CREDAI, Silicon Beach Program and other industry organisations said recent commentary and social media discussions had cast doubt on safety and harmony of Mangaluru and the wider Coastal Karnataka region. However, they maintained that investment trends and growth indicators present a different picture.
In addition to the 40-plus new IT firms, the statement said the region has generated over 8,000 new IT jobs during the same period. “Today, the tech ecosystem includes more than 400 startups, 250 technology companies and over 25,000 professionals. Three homegrown tech firms were acquired in the last two years, bringing in total investments of around USD 250 million, with acquiring companies committing to expand further in the region.”
Stakeholders said these developments demonstrate sustained investor confidence in what is increasingly referred to as the ‘Silicon Beach of India’.
They also underlined Mangaluru’s position as a national education hub, attracting thousands of students from across the country to its engineering, medical and arts institutions. The statement noted that Mangaluru was the only Indian city ranked among the top 50 in Numbeo’s Safety Index 2026, citing it as evidence of the city’s strong safety record.
The city recently hosted its inaugural TiECon Mangaluru 2026, which saw participation from over 700 delegates across two days. According to organisers, the event reinforced the city’s potential to emerge as a second engine of growth for Karnataka and a credible ‘Beyond Bengaluru’ destination aimed at easing infrastructure pressures in the state capital.
International investment interest was also highlighted. MIR Group, an Italian green-tech company, is investing Rs 1,500 crore in a sustainable manufacturing facility in Mangaluru’s Special Economic Zone. The project’s groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled during a sustainability summit on February 20-21, 2026, with more than 10 Italian firms expected to explore long-term partnerships.
The statement further noted multiple visits over the past year by ambassadors, consuls general and trade commissioners from Spain, France, Denmark, Israel and the United Kingdom to explore collaborations in technology, education and trade.
Emphasising that Coastal Karnataka’s growth has been built on collaboration between industry, academia, investors and government, the signatories urged media and community leaders to present a balanced perspective of the region. They reaffirmed their commitment to developing Mangaluru and the broader Coastal Karnataka belt as a safe, harmonious and investment-ready hub within Karnataka.