Bengaluru Tech Summit begins; flying man steals show on the first day

The 27th Edition of Bengaluru Tech Summit (BTS) 2024, with the theme ‘Unbound', being organised by the Department of Electronics, IT, BT, the government of Karnataka, and Software Technology Parks of India, Bengaluru, kicked off to a grand start on Tuesday. The event was inaugurated by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

The theme ‘Unbound' refers to transcending traditional boundaries, and creating pathways for global partnerships and advancements across industries.

One of the most interesting parts of the inauguration was a flying man soaring through the venue in a futuristic jet suit designed by the UK company Gravity Industries.

Gravity Industries' Jet Suit technology is an innovation that enables human flight using a wearable suit equipped with multiple jet engines. The suit features five small gas turbines—two on each arm and one on the back—that provide controlled thrust, allowing the wearer to lift off, hover, and maneuver in the air. Piloted by body movement, the jet suit can reach speeds of over 85 miles per hour and altitudes of up to 12,000 feet, offering a futuristic glimpse into personal flight. It is designed for various applications, from search and rescue operations to entertainment and extreme sports.

Several initiatives were launched during the inauguration such as the Nipuna Karnataka which aims at enhancing the skills of local talent to improve their global competitiveness in emerging technologies. The objective is to equip Karnataka’s workforce with advanced skills that align with the requirements of high-demand sectors, thus fostering economic growth and increasing employment opportunities both within and outside the state.

As part of the Nipuna initiative, five MoUs were exchanged with global tech majors such as Microsoft, Intel, Accenture, IBM, and the BFSI Consortium, aiming to bolster collaboration and drive innovation. These MoUs aim to train 1,00,000 trainees in the next year with a placement of 70 per cent of the trained professionals.

The Karnataka government also announced the establishment of a Centre of Excellence on AI in Bengaluru to foster cutting-edge research and development. The centre is intended as a premier accelerator for AI startups, spearheaded by the IIT Alumni Center Bangalore (IITACB) in partnership with the government of Karnataka. This initiative is designed to support the next generation of AI-driven innovations by providing startups with access to capital, high-quality mentorship, industry partnerships, and technical resources.

“Karnataka is ranked first in NITI Aayog’s India Innovation Index, reflecting our unwavering commitment to leadership and progress on the world stage. Karnataka is India's largest chip designer and a key hub for machine tool manufacturing and chip design, with over 85 fabless chip design houses. We are also the heartbeat of India’s semiconductor industry. Beyond that, we supply 52 per cent of India’s biotech workforce,” said the Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar.

He said Karnataka is also a global leader in the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, and Extended Reality (AVGC-XR) sectors, setting international benchmarks. “The AVGC Centre in Karnataka has supported landmark projects like KGF, and by 2025, we will train 25,000 students, with nearly 70 per cent of the workforce being creative professionals. We are also top in Intellectual Property. Karnataka tops in India for the number of patent applications. Compared to states like Delhi, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu, Karnataka consistently ranks higher in intellectual property filings per capita,” remarked Shivakumar.

He informed that 650,000 plus employees in Karnataka are being trained on Generative AI skills in 2023-2024, with a 9X increase in Gen AI-related activities in CY 2023 over CY 2022. “Our state is also home to over 650 plus Global Capability Centres (GCCs), hosting the largest share of India’s GCC talent. Bengaluru, is home to around 400 Fortune 500 companies,” said Shivakumar.

The inauguration also marked the official launch of INNOVERSE, an innovation campus focusing on housing, developing, and nourishing deep tech innovations. This initiative is expected to help create an innovation ecosystem to nurture emerging technologies such as AI, ML, Cybersecurity, IoT etc. and foster cross-sectoral collaboration. A special video was presented, showcasing this visionary undertaking, poised to enhance India's standing in the global innovation arena and how it aspires to emulate impactful collaborations seen in space or aero or defence, social and rural commerce etc.

Over the next two days, BTS 2024 will feature a multi-stage conference across six tracks: IT, Deeptech & Trends, Biotech & Healthtech, Startup Ecosystem, Global Innovation Alliance, India-USA Tech Conclave, and the newly introduced Electro-Semicon track. International participation from more than 50 countries and high-level delegations featuring government officials, industry leaders, and innovators, from over 15 countries, including Australia, UK, France, Austria, EU, Denmark, Finland, Poland, Japan, Germany, Switzerland, Israel, and the US will participate in the summit.