Invest Karnataka expected to draw Rs 10 lakh crore investment proposals

Bengaluru: The three day global investors' meet Invest Karnataka 2025 aimed at highlighting the southern state's strategic advantages in fostering innovation, industrial development and global partnerships, will officially kickstart on February 12, following Tuesday's grand inaugural.

With the theme "Reimagining Growth", Invest Karnataka 2025, expects investment proposals worth Rs 10 lakh crore, with a target of realising at least 70 per cent of these commitments, according to Karnataka Minister for Large and Medium Industries M B Patil.

Featuring more than 75 marquee speakers, over 25 technical sessions, more than 10 country sessions, and SME Connect discussions, the the state's flagship Global Investors Meet (GIM) will provide deep insights into global economic trends, emerging technologies, and resilience strategies, officials said.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate the event at the Palace Grounds here in the presence of Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will preside over the inaugural session.

The state's new Industrial Policy 2025-30 will also be unveiled at Invest Karnataka.

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress President and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge will not take part in the investors meet, due to their preoccupation with the ongoing Parliament session, the party has said.

Patil had earlier said that Gandhi would launch the revamped Single Window System, while Kharge was scheduled to participate in the concluding ceremony.

Several Union Ministers, including Prahlad Joshi, H D Kumaraswamy, Nirmala Sitharaman, Piyush Goyal, Ashwini Vaishnav, Shobha Karandlaje, and V Somanna, are expected to attend the event between February 12-14.

Nineteen country partners will engage in investment and trade discussions during the summit, Patil has said, adding that 9 dedicated country pavilions will showcase opportunities for bilateral cooperation and investment.

The summit will also host exclusive industry roundtables focusing on Renewable Energy, University Collaborations, and Healthcare Innovations, reinforcing Karnataka's role in shaping the future of global industries.

The event is also expected to feature an impressive lineup of global visionaries, including Anand Mahindra, Sajjan Jindal, Shashi Tharoor, Sebastian Thrun, Ann Dunkin, Nikhil Kamath, Kiran Rao, Geetanjali Kirloskar, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Vivek Lall, Sudarshan Venu, Martin Lundstedt, Rob Boyd, Akis Evangelidis, and Prashant Prakash as speakers.

The 'Future of Innovation Expo' at the meet is set to be a key highlight, bringing together 40 plus companies from across the world to showcase breakthrough technologies that are driving industrial transformation.

The event will witness the announcement of a 200-acre Startup Park near Hubballi Airport, which will be developed to accommodate over 400 startups and a 1,200-acre Solar Cell Manufacturing and Agro-Tech Park in Tidagundi, Vijayapura district.

Around 60 high-quality startups and industry leaders will showcase innovations in areas such as autonomous systems, carbon nanotubes, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and advanced robotics.

On February 12, the Invest Karnataka Awards will be given to honour 14 outstanding industries for their contributions to Karnataka's economy.

The Sunrise Sector Awards will honour excellence in Aerospace & Defense (public and private), Automobiles/Electric Vehicles ( and Biotech & Life Sciences. Additionally, special awards will recognise "Highest One-Time Investment" and "Pioneers in Global R&D", among others.

On February 13, the first-ever SME Awards will be presented to over 35 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that have significantly contributed to industrial growth, innovation, and employment in Karnataka.

There will also be district-specific awards and recognition for outstanding women entrepreneurs and sector excellence.

Under VentuRISE (Global Startup Challenge), nine awards, totalling $300,000 will be given. $50,000 for the first-place startup, $30,000 for the second-place startup, and $20,000 for the third-place startup.