The 26th edition of the Bengaluru Tech Summit 2023 was held on 29 November at Bangalore Palace. It is organised by the Department of Electronics, IT, Bt, Government of Karnataka, and Software Technology Parks of India, Bengaluru. The event was inaugurated by Shri Siddaramaiah, the Honourable Chief Minister of Karnataka, and in the august presence of Shri D.K. Shivakumar, the Honourable Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka. The topic for this year is “Breaking Boundaries,” and it will serve as the catalyst for a dynamic gathering of people from more than thirty nations, including tech industry executives, startups, investors, and research labs.
The Chandrayaan 3 ISRO-Industry Pavilion is the most notable feature at this year’s Bengaluru Tech Summit. This pavilion serves as a symbol of India’s substantial position in space exploration. The pavilion not only highlights the outstanding accomplishments of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) but also highlights the role that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), startups, and private companies played in assuring the success of the Chandrayaan-3 Mission. A replica of the Chandrayaan 3 Lander scaled to one-to-one will be presented for the first time. In addition, an immersive experience of learning about moon missions, space science, and the technology behind Chandrayaan is generated in a geodesic dome that has been particularly erected. This dome is equipped with augmented reality and virtual reality technology.
As part of the Bengaluru Tech Summit (BTS), India’s research and development organisations, such as DRDO, ICMR, CDAC, BIRAC, IIAP, IIIT-B, and NRDC as well as other organisations are participating as exhibitors.
However, the grand event has also attracted criticism.
“It was extremely demoralising—and I am thoroughly disappointed—to observe that such institutions as the DRDO and ISRO have simply set up stalls on the premises of this prestigious and widely acclaimed Summit,” said Girish Linganna, an Aerospace and Defence Expert from Bengaluru.
According to him, the general public can simply walk by and look at the models without someone being present to provide explanations, interpretations, pictures, or instructional booklets. In fact, he added that they could even stimulate a spark of curiosity in viewers to seek additional understanding of the exhibits.
In his criticism of the exhibitors, Linganna says, “These institutions have just used public cash to meet a legislative requirement. The individuals who were occupying these kiosks appeared to be lacking not just the essential knowledge but also the passion for inspiring visitors. It is possible that they were only present for “window-dressing” the site. The Bangalore Tech Summit, which should ideally serve as a venue to demonstrate key technology developments rather than focusing on showcasing images of politicians, is currently experiencing a somewhat discouraging situation.”
Girish Linganna also commented on the event, ” The event management team demonstrates a lack of professionalism. There is a noticeable absence of informative posters highlighting the programme itinerary and a lack of proper signage directing attendees to the respective halls and their activities. The overall execution of the event management reflects a significant level of inadequacy and unprofessionalism.”
Distinguished guests at the inauguration ceremony, in addition to the CM and the Deputy CM, included Shri Priyank Kharge, Minister for Information Technology & Biotechnology and Rural Development & Panchayat Raj, Government of Karnataka; Shri N S Boseraju, Minister of Science & Technology, Minor Irrigation, Government of Karnataka; and Shri M B Patil, Minister for Large & Medium Industries, Government of Karnataka.
Adding to the grandeur, the event was hosted by key figures from the Indian industry, including Mr. Rishad Premji; Dr. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Shri Kris Gopalakrishnan, Shri Prashanth Prakash, Ms. Nivruti Rai, Shri BV Naidu, and Shri Arvind Kumar, Director General of Software Technology Parks of India (STPI).
Within the context of the Bengaluru Tech Summit 2023, the third iteration of the India-USA Tech Conclave carries a great amount of importance. The overall objective of the event is to foster a meaningful discourse between the two countries. The primary goals of this gathering are to encourage the development of future technologies, to facilitate the exchange of ideas, and to form robust collaborations. A variety of important topics, including Commercial Space, e-commerce, Supply Chain and Logistics, Healthtech, and AVGC, are the primary emphasis of the individual presentations. Mr. Christopher Hodges, the Consul General of the United States of America, Mr. Alexander Slater, the Managing Director of the United States-India Business Council (USIBC), and Shri Priyank Kharge officially kicked off the Conclave.
With over 75 sessions, more than 400 speakers, more than 350 startups, more than 600 exhibitors, and more than 20,000 business participants, the summit will set the platform for an unprecedented investigation into how innovation and collaboration can be combined.
Additionally, the dates for the subsequent two editions were disclosed: the 19th to 21st of November in both 2024 and 2025. Because these dates have been announced in advance, worldwide technology organisations will be encouraged to make preparations for their participation in advance.
