Priyank Kharge. Photo supplied with the announcement.
Kalaburagi: Young entrepreneurs of Kalyana Karnataka should come forward to start ventures with new ideas, and the state government will give every support with investment, guidance and market links, Home, IT/BT and e-Governance Minister and Kalaburagi district in-charge Priyank Kharge said on Saturday.
He was speaking at the “Kalyana Karnataka Startup Dialogue-2026” in the city. Those who start ventures may face problems and setbacks at first, but can succeed with continuous effort and self-confidence, he said.
The state government is already encouraging startups through various policies and schemes, Kharge said, and young entrepreneurs should study them thoroughly to find out which scheme offers the help their business needs. Kalaburagi’s GDP share stands at 1.9 per cent and the aim is to raise it to 3 per cent, for which all sectors, including education, agriculture and manufacturing, must work together, he said. Startups will play a key role in Kalyana Karnataka’s economic progress, he added.
The IT/BT department will act as a bridge for startups in the region, offering guidance, technical help and links with industry. New opportunities for young entrepreneurs here are being created through the Krishikalpa Foundation and the Kalyana Karnataka Economic Development Mission, and a plan to support startup growth is being drawn up at the Indian Institute of Information Technology in Raichur, he said.
Under the state’s Elevate programme, about 1,500 startups have been supported over the past ten years, and selected startups receive grants of up to ₹50 lakh, Kharge said. Startups outside Bengaluru currently make up 28 per cent, and priority is being given to raising this and promoting startups in all parts of the state, including Kalyana Karnataka. A scheme to give selected deep-tech founders grants of up to ₹1 crore over the next ten years is being prepared, he said.
Startups should not stay confined to Bengaluru but spread to second- and third-tier cities, he said. The Local Economic Accelerator Programme (LEAP) has been introduced to strengthen local economies and turn young people from job seekers into job creators, he added.
The Krishikalpa Centre will help not only agriculture-based startups but also rural innovation, research and technology-based ventures, Kharge said. Startups find it hard to reach big companies directly, and the IT/BT department will provide such links, while the MSME, skill development and IT/BT departments will all support startups, he said. Young people need to understand what a market is, how to run a business, which products are in demand and how to reach customers, he said, adding that a new idea is not enough without the skill to turn it into a successful business. Dialogue and mentoring programmes among industrialists, experts and startup founders are being organised for this, he said.
Programmes are also being planned for the growth of artificial intelligence in Kalyana Karnataka, and incubation centres are being set up for startups. It is a matter of pride that one of the state’s three AI centres, including the one at the Raichur IIIT, is in this region, and it will contribute to technical research, innovation and entrepreneurship, Kharge said. A Kalyana Karnataka Digital Economic Mission has been announced, and CSR funds are also being used for technology and development work, he said.
Startups are being given opportunities to find technology-based solutions to problems in health, agriculture and clean drinking water, Kharge said. When he was Rural Development and Panchayat Raj minister, 16 startups were given the chance to work on drinking water problems, which helps solve local problems at the local level, he explained.
He said the dialogue would be an important platform for startups in the region and that it was heartening that entrepreneurs and experts from Bengaluru were sharing their experience and advice with young entrepreneurs here.
Medical Education Minister Dr Sharanaprakash Patil, Sattva company chief executive Srikrishna Sridhar and industrialist Prashanth Prakash shared their views and experiences at the dialogue, which was moderated by Krishikalpa Foundation chief executive C.M. Patil. K. Ullas Kamath, founder of UK & Co., earlier gave a special lecture on local entrepreneurship and the skills it needs.
MLAs Allamaprabhu Patil, Kaneez Fatima and M.Y. Patil, Legislative Council members Jagadev Guttedar and Tippannappa Kamkanur, and Deputy Commissioner Ikram Sharif, along with heads of various companies, startup founders and industry representatives, took part.
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