From our special correspondent

Daijiworld media network

Bengaluru, Jul 15: Department of Electronics, IT, BT, ST, Government of Karnataka and Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), in collaboration with ANSR, the market leader in building, managing, and scaling teams through Global Capability Centers (GCCs) unveiled the Karnataka GCC Landscape Report in Bengaluru on Monday.

This comprehensive report delves into the state's thriving GCC ecosystem, highlighting its growth trajectory, impact, and future potential.

The report was unveiled by Priyank Kharge, Minister, Dept of El. IT & BT and Rural Development & Panchayat Raj.

The event at Vidhana Soudha brought together top GCC leaders and industry veterans, who engaged in dynamic discussions on strategies to solidify and elevate Karnataka's status as the premier destination for GCCs.

"Karnataka has been the leading force in India's digital revolution, with GCCs serving as a key driver for the state's growth trajectory. We are implementing strategic interventions and facilitators to establish a resilient business and operational ecosystem for GCCs. We are coming up with the first GCC Policy in India to better support the GCCs looking to start operations in Karnataka” said Kharge.

He said, "I am confident that the insights from this report will provide a clear and enlightening statement of our accomplishments so far and outline our future plans to benefit the GCC industry."

Karnataka stands at a pivotal juncture in the GCC/IT/ITeS industry, with a thriving ecosystem that extends far beyond Bengaluru.

The Government of Karnataka has introduced incentives, regulations, and new policies supporting GCC setups in both Bengaluru and emerging tech clusters such as Mysuru, Hubballi and Mangaluru.

These measures are poised to attract the next wave of enterprises aiming to enhance their digital capabilities.

GCCs are currently in a phase characterized by an accelerated, qualitative leap forward, with a focus on innovation, efficiency, and strategic alignment with enterprise objectives. They strive to cultivate exceptional talent pools and foster impactful partnerships within the ecosystem to drive unprecedented organizational success.
“Karnataka offers the perfect environment for both. We are excited to partner with KDEM on this insightful report. Karnataka's commitment to innovation and talent development makes it an ideal location for enterprises seeking to establish or expand their GCCs. The report provides valuable insights for organizations looking to leverage Karnataka's strengths and drive exceptional business outcomes." said Lalit Ahuja, Founder & CEO, ANSR.

Talking from the state’s perspective, Dr Ekroop Caur, Secretary Department of Electronics, IT, BT said, “Karnataka has always been a leader in introducing industry-focused, sector-specific policies. From the first IT policy to the recently released AVGC policy, the state has consistently extending its support to the industry.

“The upcoming GCC policy, currently being drafted with the support of industry leaders, academicians, entrepreneurs, and various other stakeholders, will help retain Karnataka's leading position in the global GCC ecosystem. This report validates our standpoint and showcases Karnataka's prowess in attracting GCCs to the state,” she said.

Highlighting the Karnataka ecosystem, Prashanth Prakash, Partner, Accel Partners and Chairman of Karnataka Start-up Vision Group said, “Karnataka is the start-up capital of India. Its leading role in the GCC ecosystem complements its position in the start-up ecosystem, strengthening the relationship between start-ups and GCCs and promoting radical innovation.

Today's GCCs are eager to collaborate with novel start-ups to enable R&D. This report highlights Karnataka's existing GCC ecosystem and helps identify sectors poised for rapid growth over the next few years. By aligning our start-up growth with the showcased GCC growth, Karnataka has the potential to achieve remarkable success,” he added.

Key takeaways from report:

• Bengaluru remains the hotspot for GCC build-outs, hub for start-ups and preferred choice for platform engineering, owing to access of 25% of India’s digital talent. 60% of Forbes Global 2000 companies who have GCCs in India have their centers setup in Bengaluru.
• Karnataka is home to ~570 GCCs in India and leads the GCC talent market by a large margin; 2x enterprise-ready talent compared to the next largest location. It’s also the hotspot for enterprises building digital capabilities, software product innovation, & platform engineering
• Karnataka is home to 26K+ active start-ups, in which more than 50% comprise of tech start-ups. Bengaluru is the Unicorn capital of India with ~40% of Unicorns located in the city.
• Bengaluru is home to more than 25% of India’s digital talent of more than 325K professionals. Bengaluru is the world’s 2nd largest hub for AI talent pool. It is now being recognized as Global AI hub.
• By the year 2030, Karnataka could host around 330 Forbes 2000 enterprises. This trend is driven by India’s increasing prominence as the global GCC hub.