Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has approved the establishment of two Global Technology Centres in Belagavi and Hubballi as part of a push to spread the state’s technology ecosystem beyond Bengaluru, the Minister for Home, IT/BT and E-Governance, Priyank Kharge, said on Tuesday, according to a PTI report.
Policy aim and local linkages
The centres are being set up under the Local Economy Accelerator Programme (LEAP), which aims to provide technology talent, startups and entrepreneurs with infrastructure and opportunities within their own regions rather than concentrating facilities in the capital. The Belagavi centre will be located on the Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) campus to strengthen connections between academia, industry and the technology sector.
“The establishment of Global Technology Centres in Belagavi and Hubballi will create new opportunities for youth, startups and technology-driven enterprises in North Karnataka,” the minister’s office said in a statement carried by PTI.
Size, costs and implementing agencies
Each centre will occupy approximately 10,000 sq ft. The VTU campus facility in Belagavi has been approved at a total cost of ₹82.80 lakh for a three-year period, with the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM) named as implementing agency. The Hubballi centre at the Hubballi IT Park will be provided on rent-free premises and carries a projected cost of ₹5.80 crore over three years.
| Location | Area (approx.) | Three-year cost |
|---|---|---|
| VTU, Belagavi | ~10,000 sq ft | ₹82.80 lakh |
| Hubballi IT Park (rent-free) | ~10,000 sq ft | ₹5.80 crore (₹4.90 crore capex; ₹0.90 crore opex) |
Implementation vehicle and previous budget pledge
The centres will be executed through the Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation Limited (KEONICS) as announced in the State Budget for 2025-26, which proposed Global Technology Centres with plug-and-play facilities in Mangaluru, Hubballi and Belagavi. The minister’s office reiterated that these initiatives form part of broader state efforts to decentralise technology-led growth.
Intended beneficiaries and expected outcomes
According to the statement, the facilities are intended to nurture local talent, support startups and enable technology-driven enterprises in North Karnataka by providing ready infrastructure, fostering university-industry linkages and reducing the need for migration to Bengaluru for technology careers.
- Local students and graduates at VTU may gain easier access to incubation and industry collaboration spaces.
- Startups in Belagavi and Hubballi will have plug-and-play infrastructure reducing initial capital and operational barriers.
- The Government expects the centres to catalyse job creation and entrepreneurship outside the State’s traditional IT hub.
“The establishment of Global Technology Centres in Belagavi and Hubballi will create new opportunities for youth, startups and technology-driven enterprises in North Karnataka,” the minister’s office said.
What remains unclear
The PTI report provides the approved costs and locations but does not specify detailed timelines for operationalisation beyond the three-year expenditure horizon, nor does it list the exact services (mentorship, seed funding, labs) the centres will offer. It also does not enumerate metrics the Government will use to assess the initiative’s success.
As Karnataka seeks to balance Bengaluru’s dominant role with regional development, implementation details — including partner organisations, selection criteria for startups, governance of the VTU facility and connectivity between centres and industry — will determine whether the centres catalyse sustained local ecosystems or remain nominal facilities.
For now, officials point to the LEAP framework and KEONICS and KDEM as the institutional anchors to roll out the centres and connect regional talent pools with technology opportunities.
Reporting is based on a PTI dispatch quoted by the minister’s office.
