Karnataka plans to formulate a preferential public procurement policy to help local start-ups, said IT and Biotechnology Minister Priyank Kharge in Belagavi on Saturday.
He was speaking at ‘Techceleration 2023’, an event organised by the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission to showcase the State’s thriving IT, ESDM, and S&T sectors in the Hubballi-Dharwad-Belagavi Cluster.
“Along with our sector-specific ease of doing business initiatives, we are trying to develop a preferential public procurement policy that ensures government support for start-ups with unique intellectual property registered with our start-up cell and if invested and engaged in ‘Beyond Bengaluru’ initiative of the Government of Karnataka,“ the Minister said.
State, first customer
For such start-ups, the State government would also become the first customer. “This is a government policy that ensures that your products and services with unique IP can be procured by the government,” he added. He said the government understood the journey of entrepreneurs because the government was here to listen, learn, and adapt to meet the needs of the State’s dynamic startup ecosystem.
Through this policy, the government was committed to supporting start-ups which were willing to go beyond Bengaluru and deadline for submission of the application would be extended till January 5, 2024, he added.
Commenting on market potential and opportunities for additional job creation in the State, Mr. Kharge said, “We understand that in America, there is a requirement for one million chip designers in the next five years, and we think in India, Karnataka has the potential to address this challenge. Our human resource is highly agile.”
