Karnataka Government Pledges Strong Support to Boost Startups in Kalyana Karnataka

The Karnataka government is committed to helping entrepreneurs build and grow startups in Kalyana Karnataka by providing access to investment, mentorship, technology, and market connections. Home and IT-BT Minister Priyank Kharge shared this on Saturday at the Kalyana Karnataka Startup Dialogue-2026 in Kalaburagi, urging young innovators to pursue their business goals with determination.

Economic Targets

While Bengaluru contributes about 41% to the state gross domestic product, Kalaburagi currently contributes roughly 1.9%. The government wants to raise Kalaburagi's share to 3% through growth in education, agriculture, and manufacturing sectors. Startups will play a key role in speeding up this economic progress across tier-II and tier-III cities.

Government Schemes

The state's ELEVATE programme has helped launch about 1,500 startups over the past 10 years, offering selected businesses financial aid of up to 50 lakh rupees. Startups outside Bengaluru currently make up around 28% of the total. To push this further, a new scheme is planned to give deep-tech entrepreneurs financial aid of up to one crore rupees over the next 10 years, alongside the Local Economy Accelerator Programme to strengthen local markets.

Context

State governments often try to spread business and technology growth beyond capital cities to smaller towns to create jobs and balance regional development. Programs that offer funding, mentorship, and incubation spaces are common tools used to support early-stage business founders in turning new ideas into lasting companies.