KBITS, Government of Karnataka

Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM)

The Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM) is a not-for-profit Section 8 organisation incorporated in December 2020, operating under the Department of Electronics, Information Technology, Biotechnology and Science & Technology (EITBT), Government of Karnataka. It was created to serve as the knowledge and execution bridge between the Karnataka government and the technology industry, accelerating growth across the state's IT, ESDM, and startup sectors.

Overview

KDEM is headquartered in Bengaluru and works with industry partners including NASSCOM, ASSOCHAM, and IESA. Its mandate covers five verticals: IT Products & Services; BPM and GCC Promotion; Innovation & Startups; Electronics Systems Design and Manufacturing (ESDM); Beyond Bengaluru; and Talent Accelerator. KDEM aims to create 40 unicorns and 50 soonicorns in Karnataka and establish the state as a global digital economy leader.

Innovation and Startup Programs

KDEM's Innovation & Startups vertical facilitates startup policy implementation and supports the network of Centres of Excellence (CoEs), Technology Business Incubators (TBIs), and New Age Incubation Networks (NAINs) across the state.

Karnataka Acceleration Network: Nurtures ~306 startups over three years through a mentor-mentee model linking accelerators and incubators across Karnataka.

BLUE (Beyond Bengaluru): Connects high-potential startups from Hubballi-Dharwad-Belagavi, Mangaluru, and Mysuru clusters with VCs, angel investors, and industry leaders — ensuring founders outside Bengaluru get equal access to capital and mentorship.

LEAP (Local Economy Accelerator Programme): Launches incubation centres in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities in partnership with local institutions.

Industry & Enterprise Connect: Programmes facilitating pilots, partnerships, and enterprise connects between startups and large corporations.

Who Should Engage

KDEM is most relevant to startups in Karnataka — particularly those in IT/SaaS, ESDM, deep tech, biotech, fintech, and sustainability — that want to access state government support, incubation infrastructure, or connections to enterprise and Global Capability Centres (GCCs). Founders based outside Bengaluru looking to leverage the BLUE and LEAP programmes will find KDEM's beyond-Bengaluru focus particularly valuable.