CII INNOVERGE 2025 kicks off in Bengaluru, aims to sync ‘Make in India’ with ‘Making India’

Bengaluru: The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) recently inaugurated CII INNOVERGE 2025 in Bengaluru under the central theme “Make in India, Developed India & Digital India.”

The premier innovation summit brought together government leaders, industry captains and academia to deliberate on India’s innovation roadmap — emphasizing the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence (AI), research and development (R&D), and industry-academia collaboration in shaping the nation’s future growth.

Delivering the keynote address as Guest of Honour, Priyank Kharge, Minister for Electronics, Information Technology and Biotechnology and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Government of Karnataka, underscored Karnataka’s emergence as a global innovation powerhouse.

“Karnataka has evolved into one of the most disruptive innovation hubs in the world, powering breakthroughs from agritech to aerospace. We are not just an investment destination but the global knowledge and skill capital,” he said.

Highlighting the state’s strengths, the Minister noted that Karnataka houses 40 percent of India’s R&D talent, 30 percent of all Global Capability Centres (GCCs), and 48 of the nation’s 110 unicorns, positioning it as the nerve centre of India’s digital economy.

“Our ecosystem leads globally in AI skill penetration and R&D output, ranking among the top five AI cities worldwide,” he added.

Emphasizing the state’s unique 3P model — People, Policy, and Participation, Kharge said this approach ensures inclusivity across academia, entrepreneurs, and policymakers.

He announced a ₹1,000-crore investment for developing innovation clusters in Mangaluru, Mysuru, Hubballi-Dharwad and Belagavi, aimed at taking innovation beyond Bengaluru.

Looking ahead, he also revealed plans for the ‘Future Makers’ track at the upcoming Bengaluru Tech Summit, which will feature 20,000 startups and launch a ₹100 crore fund to identify India’s top 50 AI companies.

“Karnataka today is not competing with other states; we are competing with ourselves to create global solutions through innovation, skills and political will,” he concluded.

Delivering the special address, Gunjan Krishna, Commissioner for Industrial Development, and Director, Department of Industries and Commerce, Government of Karnataka, emphasized that innovation must be embedded at the core of enterprise and policy.

“Innovation thrives when academia, industry, startups and government come together — that’s the bridge we must build,” she said, reinforcing Karnataka’s commitment to proactive policy frameworks, strategic partnerships and programmes that turn ideas into scalable solutions.

Kris Gopalakrishnan, Past President, CII, Mentor, CII India INNOVERGE 2025, and Chairman, Axilor Ventures, in his special remarks, highlighted the importance of integrating research, academia and industry into a cohesive innovation ecosystem.

“India’s innovation journey will accelerate when R&D and enterprise converge. We must invest deeply in Centres of Excellence, foster collaborative clusters, and measure success not just by GDP, but by innovation outcomes,” he said.

He noted that India’s demographic advantage, digital readiness and entrepreneurial spirit provide a solid foundation to emerge as a global innovation leader — provided innovation becomes a measurable, mainstream national priority.

Setting the tone for the summit, Kamal Bali, Past Chairman, CII Southern Region, Chairman, CII India INNOVERGE 2025, and President and Managing Director, Volvo Group India, described innovation as the “heartbeat of India’s growth story.”

“As AI and digitalization converge, we are entering an era where idea generation and intelligent automation will redefine how we design, make and move,” Bali stated.

“The vision of Make in India is now evolving into Imagine in India, Innovate in India, and Lead from India. This transformation is about unlocking human ingenuity at scale and shaping a future that is inclusive, sustainable, and globally competitive,” he added.

With sessions dedicated to emerging technologies, R&D commercialization, startup collaboration, and sustainability-led innovation, CII INNOVERGE 2025 sets the stage for India’s next leap — where Digital India meets Developed India through the power of Make in India innovation.