Published Nov 12, 2026 | 4:59 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 12, 2026 | 4:59 PM
Women founders raised difficulties in securing early-stage capital for deep technology and biotechnology ventures.
Synopsis: The Karnataka government will examine women entrepreneurs’ proposals for subsidised access to AI computing infrastructure, shared facilities for hardware and robotics startups, early-stage funding and market access following an interaction in Bengaluru. The Department of Electronics, IT and Biotechnology said the feedback would help shape more actionable solutions, including through State programmes, the proposed AI Hub and wider support for women-led startups across Karnataka.
The Karnataka government will examine proposals for subsidised access to AI computing infrastructure and shared facilities for hardware and robotics startups following an interaction with women entrepreneurs in Bengaluru on Thursday. The discussion also covered early-stage funding for deep technology and biotechnology ventures, market access, government procurement and access to manufacturing facilities.
The Department of Electronics, IT and Biotechnology organised the interaction, titled ‘Enabling Women in Tech in Karnataka: From Policy Intent to Action’, ahead of the 29th Bengaluru Tech Summit, scheduled from 17 to 19 November.
Dr N Manjula, Secretary of the Department; Sanjeev Kumar Gupta, CEO of the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM); Taslimarif Saiyed, CEO of C-CAMP; and Debabrata Das of the AI Hub at IIIT Bangalore were among those present.
Women founders raised difficulties in securing early-stage capital for deep technology and biotechnology ventures, finding customers for established startups, accessing affordable computing infrastructure for AI companies, securing government procurement opportunities and using manufacturing facilities.
The Department said the interaction was part of its effort to maintain closer engagement with women founders and incorporate their feedback into the State’s startup ecosystem.
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Dr Manjula said that Karnataka has consistently worked towards building a strong technology and startup ecosystem through policies and programmes that support the entire innovation journey.
“However, it is equally important for us to understand how these policies translate on the ground. This interaction is an opportunity to hear directly from women entrepreneurs, understand the challenges they face and identify areas where we can do better. The feedback shared today, particularly on access to funding, markets and infrastructure, will help us take these conversations forward and work towards more actionable solutions,” she added.
She cited Women@Work, WEscalate, BioWise and ELEVATE Shakti as State programmes supporting women through skilling, incubation, mentoring, research exposure and financial assistance.
Under ELEVATE Shakti 2026, 63 women-led startups were selected for grant support of ₹23.19 crore. The broader ELEVATE Grant-in-Aid Programme has supported more than 400 women-led startups since 2017, with committed assistance of ₹118.98 crore.
The Department also discussed expanding subsidised access to AI computing through the proposed AI Hub and providing shared infrastructure for hardware and robotics startups.
The Government First initiative, which offers pilot support of up to ₹25 lakh, was highlighted as a route for startups to test their solutions in government departments and build a case for wider adoption.
Dr Manjula encouraged entrepreneurs to approach the Department with solutions to problems faced by government departments.
Gupta outlined KDEM’s role in connecting women-led startups with industry, large enterprises and global capability centres (GCCs), helping them reach customers and access growth opportunities.
Saiyed highlighted the contribution of women founders to biotechnology and said C-CAMP had a portfolio of approximately 700 startups, with strong representation of women among its founders.
Das outlined the proposed AI Hub’s focus on capacity building, an AI Living Lab and support for startups and entrepreneurs.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
