Ekroop Caur addressing the Global Innovation Alliance (GIA) Partners Meet, in Bengaluru on Monday.
Credit: DH Photo
Bengaluru: The 28th edition of the Bengaluru Tech Summit 2025 (BTS 2025), the flagship global technology event of the state government is expected to set a Guinness record bringing together 20,000 startup founders on one platform. The Department of Electronics, IT, BT, government of Karnataka plans on creating a community of changemakers and entrepreneurs, spiritual leaders, engineers, adventure sportspersons and athletes as part of the Future Makers Conclave at the upcoming BTS 2025.
During this event, 10 world-class speakers from among the startup community will share life-changing ideas. A curated showcase of 10,000 handpicked startups from India and abroad will display game-changing solutions across sectors like AI and healthtech, fintech and enterprisetech, from cleantech and agritech to deeptech and sportstech.
Speaking at the Global Collaboration Meet to promote BTS 2025, on Monday, Ekroop Caur, Secretary to Government, Department of Electronics, IT, BT, and S&T said BTS 2025 will be a much bigger event this year with the participation of 1,200 exhibitors, 600 speakers, and over 1 lakh attendees. It will be held from November 18 to 20 at Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC). The theme of the BTS 2025 is “Futurise”.
The event will feature 10 tracks including IT and deeptech, electro-semicon, digital health and biotech, startup ecosystem, global collaboration and India-USA Tech Conclave. It will have four new tracks such as AI universe, finverse, defence and spacetech, and 'My Planet My Future', she said.
The summit will feature a special focus on startups through the Startup Springboard, a curated programme that connects high-potential ventures with investors, mentors, and global networks. Activities will include investor pitching sessions led by top VC networks, one-on-one mentoring clincis with industry experts, a dedicated Startup Pavilion in the exhibition and exclusive investor connect opportunities. There will be thematic sessions on scaling, fundraising, and international market access, alongside recognition through Startup Awards programme.
Caur said a major focus this year will be sustainability. The event will be entirely plastic-free, with all materials, including lanyards and ID cards, made from biodegradable materials. Waste generated on site will be processed in-house, and the event will run on green energy.
The move to shift the venue to BIEC was also driven by the need to reduce reliance on diesel generators, which were unavoidable at Bangalore Palace, she added.
Caur said BTS 2025 would also serve as a gateway to emerging tech clusters beyond Bengaluru. Cities like Mysuru, Hubballi-Dharwad, Belagavi, and Mangaluru are being developed as innovation hubs.
The Department of Electronics, IT & BT has launched a Rs 1,000 crore Local Economy Accelerator Program (LEAP) to support infrastructure, incubation, and entrepreneurship in these clusters. “We invite foreign delegates and investors to explore these regions,” she added.