Media Release
Mangaluru, Apr 28: The Vertex CXO Conclave 2026, hosted by city-based Vertex Workspaces, brought together industry leaders, policymakers and senior executives at the Dr TMA Pai International Convention Centre on Friday evening, April 24, to examine opportunities for business expansion beyond Bengaluru. The discussions focused on positioning Mangaluru as a viable destination for enterprise and technology-led growth.
Top executives from the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM) and the Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society (KITS) outlined policy frameworks to promote investment in non-metro regions. Rahul Sharanappa Sankanur, IAS, managing director, KITS, along with Samir Venugopal, Bharath Chandra B K, and Vaishak Pai from KDEM, highlighted incentives related to infrastructure, talent development and regulatory support to encourage companies to expand beyond established urban centres.
Setting the context, Vinayak Palanakar, CMO, Vertex Workspaces, said the company is looking to move beyond its role as a workspace provider to support business growth. “The idea is to build an enabling environment where companies can scale with the right infrastructure and ecosystem,” he noted, pointing to the need for integrated platforms that bring together policy, talent and industry. He further emphasised that Vertex aims to play a key enabler role by supporting companies operating from its premises to seamlessly avail government grants and incentives, while also addressing critical business challenges such as hiring and talent acquisition.
Speakers during the conclave pointed to Mangaluru’s strengths, including its strong educational base, improving infrastructure and a growing presence of IT and Global Capability Centres (GCCs). At the same time, they noted that talent retention, ecosystem maturity and industry collaboration remain areas that require sustained attention.
Offering a perspective on workforce trends, Kamal Karanth, co-founder of Xpheno, observed that while the Mangaluru–Udupi region has a steady supply of entry- and mid-level talent, availability at senior levels continues to be a constraint. He emphasised the need for structured hiring strategies and stronger local ecosystems to address migration to larger cities.
Discussions also highlighted that while awareness of government incentives is growing, companies often require clearer guidance on processes and execution to effectively access these benefits. In this context, Vertex reiterated its commitment to bridging this gap by actively assisting businesses within its ecosystem in navigating incentive frameworks and building access to the right talent networks.
A memorandum of understanding was signed on the occasion to strengthen collaboration among ecosystem stakeholders and support business expansion in the region.
In his concluding remarks, Gurudatta Shenoy, managing partner, Vertex Workspaces, said the initiative would extend beyond the conclave through leadership forums, hiring platforms and policy engagement efforts aimed at supporting companies entering emerging markets.
The event also showcased Vertex Ashoka as a dedicated infrastructure initiative designed to support enterprise and GCC operations, reinforcing Mangaluru’s growing profile as a business destination.
With increasing focus on decentralisation and regional growth, the Vertex CXO Conclave 2026 highlighted the city’s potential to play a significant role in Karnataka’s evolving technology and business ecosystem.