Bengaluru, Sept 19: Karnataka’s next phase of growth must move beyond Bengaluru by strengthening industry-academia linkages and spreading the State capital’s research, innovation and technology capabilities across the State, former Rajya Sabha member Dr M. V. Rajeev Gowda said on Saturday.
Addressing the 4th Edition of the Leadership Summit 2026 organized by Bangalore Chamber of Industry & Commerce’s (BCIC), Dr Gowda said “Beyond Bengaluru” should not be limited to attracting companies to other cities but must create stronger connections between industry, educational institutions and research centres.
He said Bengaluru had enormous research capabilities but inadequate industry-academia linkages were preventing the conversion of talent and research into patents, products and commercial innovation.
“Bengaluru is filled with research centres and especially multinational research centres. They are tapping our brains. We are letting our brains stay idle as far as this dimension is concerned,” he said.
Dr Gowda said he had launched the Bengaluru Research and Innovation Network to map research capabilities and connect industry with academia.
He also warned that artificial intelligence could disrupt entry-level employment and called for stronger internships, mentoring and industry-led preparation of young people for the AI and post-AI era.
As BCIC entered its Golden Jubilee year, President CA K Ravi said the Chamber would use the year-long celebrations to strengthen its global stature and engagement with Karnataka’s economic landscape.
He said BCIC would focus on sustainable industrial growth, ease of doing business and technological transformation while strengthening its role as a catalyst for trade and investment.
Meanwhile, former DRDO distinguished scientist, Padma Shri Dr Prahlada Ramarao said, India was poised to become one of the world’s most sought-after destinations for design, manufacturing and delivery, citing the transformation of Indian industry over the past four decades.
“Today, most of the industries, particularly medium and small-scale industries, can do engineering, design, analysis, manufacturing, assembly, testing and delivery,” he said.
Dr Ramarao said global companies from Europe, Israel and Southeast Asia were increasingly looking to India for designing, manufacturing and testing products because of the country’s cost, quality and delivery advantages.
“You tell me what you need, I will make it. This is the level to which Indian industry has matured,” he said.
He called for stronger testing infrastructure, strategic-material capabilities and new business models that would enable MSMEs to work together through product-oriented consortia.
The Golden Jubilee logo was unveiled by Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, Custodian of the Royal House of Mysuru and Member of Parliament from Mysuru-Kodagu, marking the beginning of BCIC’s year-long celebrations.
The summit brought together business and industry leaders to deliberate on leadership, technology, sustainability, resilience and the changing global economic environment. Also the BCIC Leadership Forum Brochure for 2026-27 was released on the occasion.
The other eminent speakers who addressed the gathering were:
Dr. Tejaswini Ananth Kumar, Managing Trustee, Adamya Chetana, Mr. F. R. Singhvi, Joint Managing Director, Sansera Engineering Limited, Mr. Parag Dani, CEO-GAP, Reliance Retail, Padma Shri Mr. Shekar Naik, Former Captain, Indian Blind Cricket Team and Mr. Abhinay Choudhari, Co-Founder LaundryMate (Co-Founder, BigBasket).