The Government of Karnataka has called for deeper collaboration with the Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI) and FinTech sectors to strengthen the state’s technology ecosystem and accelerate the adoption of innovative solutions across businesses, government and citizens.
The call was made at an Industry Meet on BFSI and FinTech organised by the Department of Electronics, IT & BT, Government of Karnataka. The interaction was held as a prelude to Bengaluru Tech Summit 2026, bringing together government representatives and industry stakeholders to discuss the evolving technology landscape.
Karnataka Calls for Government-Industry Partnership
Speaking at the interaction, IT Minister Priyank Kharge said the future of Karnataka’s technology ecosystem would be built through partnership between government and industry. He said the government and industry would need to work together to drive innovation and technology adoption.
Kharge said the government’s role is to listen to industry, create the right platforms, remove barriers where possible and establish an environment where innovation can be tested and adopted responsibly.
He also highlighted the Government First initiative, under which startups can work on real government challenges, test their solutions and, where they demonstrate value, potentially scale them across departments.
At the same time, he stressed the need for industry participation in shaping skills, Centres of Excellence, policies and the technologies that government should adopt.
Bengaluru Tech Summit 2026 Focuses on Emerging Technologies
The Minister noted that the pace of change across artificial intelligence, FinTech, cybersecurity, data, computing, financial inclusion and other emerging technologies is moving faster than policy can anticipate. He emphasised the importance of maintaining continuous dialogue with the companies and innovators developing these technologies.
According to the official statement, the Industry Meet also highlighted opportunities for the BFSI and FinTech community to participate in Bengaluru Tech Summit 2026 through the conference, exhibition, partnerships and other strategic engagements.
The discussions covered several issues shaping the future of the sector, including startup adoption through Government First, regulatory frameworks, ease of doing business, data access, regulatory sandboxes, trust and safety, responsible innovation and technology adoption across government.
Government First Opens Pathway for Startups
The interaction also highlighted the potential of the Government First programme to provide startups with a more accessible route to work with government departments.
Under the initiative, startups can propose solutions to public problems as well as respond to specific problem statements identified by government departments. Their technologies can then be evaluated through pilot projects before wider adoption.
The model is aimed at creating a structured pathway for startups to demonstrate the practical value of their solutions while helping government departments explore new technologies for public-sector requirements.
BFSI Industry Highlights Skills and Cybersecurity
The BFSI and FinTech community also emphasised the importance of stronger collaboration between industry and academia to build a future-ready talent pool.
Discussions around AI, computing, data sovereignty and cybersecurity further highlighted the need for continued engagement between government and industry. These technologies are increasingly influencing financial services as well as public administration, making collaboration important for their responsible and effective adoption.
The BFSI & FinTech Industry Meet was organised ahead of Bengaluru Tech Summit 2026, which will be held from 17 to 19 November 2026 at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre.
