Techwaves 2025 to showcase Mangaluru's strength, potential in IT industry

The Hindu

24-04-2025

An event to showcase Mangaluru's strength in the IT industry and its potential to become a major player in the global tech arena will be held in the city on April 25, Friday.
The event, 'Techwaves 2025: Rise of the Silicon Beach of India', presented by Vertex Workspace will be held at Vertex Five in Kadri at 4.30 p.m.
It will witness gathering of industry leaders, tech pioneers and policymakers. With an agenda featuring insightful panel discussions, recognition of achievers and networking opportunities, the event aims to draw attention to the city's technological transformation, a release from Vertex Workspace said.
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly U.T. Khader, Member of Parliament of Dakshina Kannada Captain Brijesh Chowta, and MLA and Chairman of KEONICS Sharath Kumar Bacche Gowda will address the event in addition to industry leaders from companies like EG India, CodeCraft Technologies, OmneNEST Technologies, and Novigo Solutions.
Panel discussions
There will be four panel discussions. The first session 'rise of Global Capability Centers (GCCs) and their role in Mangaluru' will explore how Mangaluru is becoming a key player in the global GCC landscape, a sector poised to drive job creation and innovation.
GCCs are specialized offices set up by multinational companies to provide services like IT, customer support, and research and development. These centers help companies reduce costs and tap into local talent. Mangaluru's strategic location, cost-effective environment and skilled workforce have attracted major international players such as NIDEC Advanced Technology and Bose Professional. With Karnataka's new GCC policy aiming to establish 500 new GCCs by 2029, Mangaluru is positioned to be a prime location for future expansion.
The second session will be 'Rise of Deep Tech in Mangaluru'. With its strength in engineering and growing startup culture, Mangaluru is making strides in Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT) and digital health technologies, and is emerging a hub for deep tech innovation.
The third session will be 'Mangaluru's dominance in the IT services industry'. This panel will explore why Mangaluru is attracting IT giants and startups, thanks to its skilled workforce, quality of life, and operational efficiency.
The fourth panel 'importance of world-class workspaces in Mangaluru's growth' will focus on modern managed workspaces. This discussion will highlight the city's infrastructure readiness to support tech talent.
The event will also recognize emerging tech leaders, including Koki Kato (Kobayashi Create India), Takashi Miyasaka (NIDEC Advanced Technology), Jagath Biddappa and Navajith Karkera (Sonic Lamb), and UnifyCX, all of whom are contributing to Mangaluru's growing reputation as a global innovation hub, it said.
Mangaluru's tech boom
The city currently boasts around 20,000 IT jobs, with plans to increase that number to two lakh by 2033 - a tenfold rise expected to significantly boost the local economy. Karnataka's Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) is estimated to reach ₹28.83 lakh crore (approx. $331 billion), with Mangaluru contributing 5.5%, making it the second-largest contributor after Bengaluru, the release added.
The city's IT sector alone generates over ₹3,000 crore annually, and its share of Karnataka's IT/BPO exports is expected to rise from 1.5% to 5% in the coming years. With over 10,000 engineers and more than 20,000 STEM graduates emerging annually from over 150 degree colleges and 25 engineering institutions, and supported by 15 plus incubation centers nurturing 125 plus startups, Mangaluru has a solid foundation for growth, it added.
Furthermore, Mangaluru's operational costs are 20% lower than major metro cities, and its attrition rate is a mere 5%, compared to 18-25% in larger urban centers, making it an attractive destination for tech companies, the Vertex Workspace said.