Startups, Here’s Your Chance To Interact With Priyank Kharge, IT, BT & Tourism Minister of Karnataka

At Inc42 our foremost goal has always been to help businesses thrive by helping them take advantage of the constant technological changes. We create opportunities for different stakeholders of the technology, startups and business communities to facilitate collaboration and learning while collectively propelling the startup ecosystem forward.

To strengthen these efforts we launched a new project – ‘Ask Me Anything (AMA) on Facebook LIVE’ to connect our readers with the exceptional minds of Indian startup ecosystem so anyone can directly ask these guests the critical questions that would help our readers in their entrepreneurial journey.

So far we’ve hosted 7 sessions in our AMA series but our last session with Mr. Priyank Kharge (Information Technology, Biotechnology & Tourism Minister of Karnataka) remained incomplete due to technical problems. To make up for it, we have again collaborated with the minister who was kind enough to agree to take out time from his schedule. Mr. Priyank Kharge will attend a 90-minute meetup to be organised at the Inc42 office to interact with startups and directly answer their questions in an open house setting.

This exclusive meetup will be hosted at the Inc42 office this Friday, 15 September 2017 at 11.30 AM and since it is an invite-only meetup, you can apply here to get an invite.

The Man Who Is Turning Karnataka Into A Global Platform For Innovation

Priyank Kharge holds the Information Technology, Biotechnology & Tourism department portfolio in the Government of Karnataka and through his dedication & hardwork he became the youngest minister to be sworn into the Karnataka Cabinet at the age of 38.

Here is a  glimpse of initiatives taken under Mr. Kharge’s leadership for uplifting startups in the state of Karnataka –

• In July 2016, the Government of Karnataka announced a Startup Booster Kit, a set of schemes with an aim to bolster the startup ecosystem in the state which included a $60 Mn fund, the launch of a startup cell in Karnataka Biotechnology and Information Technology Services (KBITS).
• In September 2016, under his leadership the government announced a fund of $1.2 Mn (INR 8 Cr) towards Karnataka’s Startup Cell. Following that, in the same month, the state government funded eight startups with $300K (INR 2 Cr) that built unique tech solutions for the tourism industry in India.
• In March 2017, on the occasion of International Women’s Day, a fund of $1.4 Mn (INR 10 Cr) was announced for women entrepreneurs of the Karnataka state.
• Most recently in August 2017 under Kharge’s leadership, the ELEVATE 100 programme selected 100 startups that will get access to government’s $62.5Mn cumulative startup fund along with mentoring from industry experts, idea validation, advisory and legal support.

Agenda For The Meetup

Since we are a startup with limited resources, the Friday’s event is an invite-only meetup for 30 participants who will get a chance to be a part of an interactive fireside chat with Mr. Kharge where you can ask questions too. The questions in the session will revolve around the following themes –

1. Government policies for startups and technology ecosystem.
2. How startups and government can collaborate and work together.
3. Government’s views on upcoming technologies and industries like Cryptocurrency, AI etc.
4. Mr. Kharge’s entrepreneurial journey before he joined the Karnataka state government.
5. Comparing & contrasting the development of startup ecosystems in metro cities of India.
6. Pros & cons for startups considering to move their base to Karnataka.

However, for all those who can not make the cut for the meetup, don’t be disappointed as we will be streaming the whole event LIVE on Facebook and will also take questions from our viewers online. This is to ensure that maximum people are able to interact with Mr. Priyank Kharge.

Apply here to get an invite →

You can also RSVP on the events page to get a reminder when we go LIVE on Facebook