Bengaluru Tech Summit 2020 to focus on innovation and growth in a new world, amid global pandemic

The Department of Electronics, IT, Bt and S&T of the Government of Karnataka is organizing 23^rd edition of Karnataka’s flagship event BENGALURU TECH SUMMIT 2020  scheduled to be held between November 19^th-21st. 2020. Amidst the challenges of global pandemic, for the first time entire summit will be held virtually and the  central theme is aptly chosen as 'NEXT IS NOW' highlighting the significance of advancing future at the accelerated pace and the need for preparedness by using innovations and technological interventions. Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Sri. Narendra Modi ji will inaugurate the summit virtually and address the gathering.

This is the fourth consecutive year wherein the two flagship events of Karnataka Bangalore IT.biz and Bangalore India Bio are brought under one umbrella of Bengaluru Tech Summit highlighting the need for synergies amongst different streams of science and technologies.

‘The summit will feature Multi-track Conference, International Exhibition, Global Innovation Alliance, STPI-IT Export Awards, Smart Bio Awards and Bengaluru Impact Awards. The other popular programmes among students namely Rural IT Quiz, Biotech Quiz and Biotech Posters will also be held virtually. For the first time, India Bio segment will feature BioPartnering in collaboration with Inova Partnering tool, the global leaders in facilitating pre-scheduled business meetings.

The Summit will be addressed by over 250 domain experts including over 80 Global personalities focusing on the most disruptive technologies and innovations across the globe under four major themes namely Knowledge Hub, Innovation Corner, One Health and Country Sessions. Some of the key focus areas of the summit are: Aerospace and defense Technologies, Healthcare, Future of Work,  Startup for Public Good, Electronics & Semi-Conductor, Reimagining Digital Health and COVID-19 Pandemic Preparedness
among others.

Global Innovation Alliance will feature 16 countries which will conduct country sessions namely Canada, Finland, France, Israel, Netherland, UK, Australia, Germany, Sweden, Taiwan, Switzerland, Denmark, Bahrain, Japan, and Lithonia. These countries will be participating with their delegations in the conference sessions, exhibition and B2B meetings and are expected to partner with the summit and Government of Karnataka for several initiatives.

The multi-track conference will feature over 70 sessions addressed by over 250 world class speakers. International exhibition will consists of  250 plus exhibitors from Start Ups to IT and Biotech majors as well as R&D and academic institutes showcasing their services, products and technologies to 4000+ delegates, 20000+ business visitors.

The Summit will be conducted under the able guidance of the three Vision Groups on IT, Biotech and Start-ups consisting of senior Industry Captains and R&D Heads across verticals. For the first time International Advisory Group is also formed adding global perspectives to the conference programme. This is the only event in India which brings together on common platform India’s leading cross sectoral industry organisations like Nasscom, TiE, ELCIA, IESA, ABAI, ABLE, CLIK  and  IACC.

Addressing the media at the curtain raiser event, Dr CN Ashwath Narayan, Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, and Minister for IT, BT and S&T said, ““Bengaluru Tech Summit has emerged as the leading technology show not only for Karnataka State but for the entire country. This year I am glad that despite the pandemic challenge faced by the world, BTS is on schedule as a virtual event and it has truly become a global show. Participation of over 25 tech nations is testimony to the recognition of Bangalore as the leading tech hub of the country. We are honoured to receive the confirmation from Shri Narendra Modi ji, Hon'ble Prime Minister of India for agreeing to inaugurate the 23rd edition of Bengaluru Tech Summit on 19th November 2020.”

 Dr. E. V. Ramana Reddy, Additional Chief Secretary to Chief Minister, Department of Electronics, IT, Bt and S&T said, “With cutting edge research, new ideations and innovations, Karnataka has been the nation’s leading tech hub and has brought the spotlight time and again to India. At the 23rd edition of our flagship program Bengaluru Tech Summit, our State is set to further break the barriers of time and boundaries by bringing the world’s best innovators, researchers, policy makers,  and industrialists on one virtual forum. This year, Bengaluru Tech Summit will be bigger -and will showcase the best innovations of not only Karnataka, but also the nation and the world. Through BTS, we hope to continue to engage with stakeholders at a global level, through exchange of people and ideas, so that Karnataka may consistently maintain its lead position in innovation, science and technology.” 

Shri. S. Gopalakrishnan (Kris), Co-Founder, Infosys, Chairman of Axilor Venture, and Chairman, Karnataka Vision Group on Information Technology said, "More than ever, industry needs to network and strategize on the emerging technologies as well as the opportunities arising in the new normal. IT industry is a bright spot during this Covid crisis and BTS gives the industry an ideal platform to showcase its new solutions."

Emphasizing on Bio-technology as a disruptor in the current times, Dr. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Executive Chairperson, Biocon Limited and Chairperson, Karnataka Vision Group on Biotechnology commented, “Covid19 has rendered BTS 2020 into a virtual event. This has compelled us to choreograph a program that features the best of global minds in technology. AI and Big Data are at the heart of our Biotech sessions. We have curated sessions that focus on cutting edge advances in the combined field of biological and computational sciences encompassing CRISPR-Cas9, genomics, regenerative biology etc. BTS 2020 has turned an adversity into a very exciting global event catering to every stakeholder of the tech economy.”

 Shri. Prashant Prakash, Partner – Accel Partners, Chairman – Karnataka Vision Group for Startup commented, “Bengaluru has long been home to the most vibrant startup ecosystems in India, producing more than 14 unicorns and attracting nearly 47% of venture investments in the last 4 years. As India recovers from the crippling effects of the pandemic on the economy, several Bengaluru based startups have accelerated India’s transition to an internet first economy, driving digital disruption across legacy sectors. The creation of such a dynamic startup community is impossible without the right regulatory support and investment. The Government of Karnataka has played a big role in providing the right infrastructure, enabling ease of doing business, and creating a robust innovation climate – all of which are critical to create a world-class startup ecosystem. This year BTS 2020 will see startups sharing their views, vision and values on the theme of ‘Next is Now’ – How startups can help convert crisis to opportunity. This will be an amazing platform to learn how startups can usher in the next age of digital transformation for key sectors of the Indian economy.”

 Jitendra Chaddah, Country Manager, Global Supply Chain, Intel India and Chairman of the IT Conference Committee, Bengaluru Tech Summit 2020, said, "Bengaluru is a key IT destination not only for India but for the world, and Bengaluru Tech Summit is a flagship technology event for the industry. It brings global thought leaders and tech experts together on one platform to address some of our biggest challenges and opportunities today. This is especially important in the context of the new normal, where I believe technology plays a vital role in keeping our businesses and lives moving forward.”