The partnership was signed on the sidelines of the AI Impact Summit in Delhi.
| Photo Credit: RUHANI KAUR
The Department of Electronics, Information Technology, Biotechnology and Science & Technology, Government of Karnataka, signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with VivaTech, a startup and innovation event in Europe, to create a structured Europe-India startup and innovation corridor anchored by the Bengaluru Tech Summit (BTS).
The partnership, signed on the sidelines of the AI Impact Summit, reflects the mutual intent of BTS and VivaTech to strengthen innovation ecosystems and foster cross-border collaboration among startups, corporates, investors and public stakeholders across India, France and Europe.
The LoI would serve as a framework for structured engagement and future programmatic cooperation, with a clear focus on expanding global market access, investor connections and enterprise partnerships for Karnataka’s startup ecosystem.
Priyank Kharge, Minister for IT, Biotechnology and Rural Development, Government of Karnataka, said, “This is a progressive step for both our ecosystems. I have seen VivaTech firsthand — the scale of disruption and innovation there is truly remarkable. It is a powerful platform for our startups to gain access to the French and wider European markets.’’
This collaboration would help forge a long-term technology partnership between France and the city of Bengaluru, especially in the backdrop of the India–France Year of Innovation 2026, said the Minister.
“By anchoring this engagement through the Bengaluru Tech Summit, we are building a strong Europe–India innovation bridge that enables our founders to think bigger, scale faster and compete globally in AI, deep-tech and emerging technologies,’’ he added.
Under the pact, the two sides will work together on startup and delegation exchange, collaboration across priority areas such as AI, ClimateTech, DeepTech, gaming, semiconductors and other emerging technologies, ecosystem promotion and branding, which includes mutual promotion of flagship events and structured country or regional focus participation.
Published – February 21, 2026 12:50 pm IST
