Rajasthan To Host IT & Startup Summit To Promote Tech Innovation

The Rajasthan government is all set to host the ‘Information Technology & Startup Pre-Summit’ on November 12 in Jaipur. Organised by the Department of Information Technology and Communications (DoIT&C) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the event will bring together industry leaders, policymakers and innovators to discuss strategies for transforming Rajasthan into a leading tech hub.

This is a precursor to the main event, ‘Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit 2024: Elevating Opportunities in India’s Jewel State’, which is scheduled for December 9-11, 2024. The three-day event, which is expected to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aims to attract global investments and promote collaborations across sectors such as agriculture, automobile, textiles, education, and MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises).

The pre-summit, themed ‘Building a Resilient Future – Lessons from Leading Innovators’, will feature a series of sessions and discussions on various aspects of the IT and startup ecosystem. 

It will kick off with a session ‘Building Rajasthan as an IT & Innovation Hub’, which will see participation from industry stalwarts like Ajay Data, CEO of Data Ingenious Global; Chitra Gurnani Daga, cofounder and CEO of Thrillophilia; Parijat Agarwal, cofounder & COO of Metacube Software, among others. 

Other prominent speakers at the event will include Ganesh Mabala, South Asia Director at NVIDIA; Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore, minister, IT&C, government of Rajasthan; Anurag Jain, cofounder & COO of Girnar Software, among others.

“Rajasthan is uniquely positioned to nurture a thriving startup ecosystem, rich in resources, talent and an innovative spirit. By forging strong partnerships among industry, academia and the government, we can build a resilient environment that supports our startups and empowers our youth to lead in the digital age,” said Col. Rathore. 

“Guided by the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the mission for a Viksit Bharat, we recognise that our strength lies in collaboration. Together, we can elevate Rajasthan as a beacon of innovation and a hub for technological advancement, propelling the state toward a brighter, more prosperous future,” he added.

Charting Rajasthan’s Path To Becoming A Technology Hub

A key highlight of the pre-summit will be the inauguration of the ‘Startup Digital Yatra’ — an initiative launched by the Rajasthan government in collaboration with Inc42. This Yatra, launched by Inc42 in collaboration with iStart and DOIT&C will feature an on-ground team travelling across seven cities – Jaipur, Ajmer, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Kota, Bikaner and Bharatpur – to document the real-world impact of digital transformation on the lives of citizens, businesses, institutions and government operations.

During the pre-summit, the state government will also sign 20 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with financial institutions, academic entities and corporates to boost Rajasthan’s startup ecosystem. 

According to the state government, these agreements are expected to attract more than INR 400 Cr in startup investments and pave the way for 15,000+ new startups in the coming years. Further, in line with the Rajasthan government’s budget announcement, these partnerships also aim to create 50K jobs, driving growth and opportunity in the AVGC-XR sector (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming Comics – Extended Reality).

This will be followed by a roundtable session that will bring together industry leaders, academics, and stakeholders to explore collaborative opportunities that will drive growth in the IT and startup ecosystem of the state.

The All Rajasthan Trade and Industry Association (ARTIA) has pledged to support investors who sign MoUs and letters of intent (LoIs) under the ‘Rising Rajasthan’ initiative, offering them the required assistance.

Known for its grand forts and palaces, Rajasthan has made a name for itself as a burgeoning innovation hub over the last few years. The state is home to more than 3,700 startups, as per Inc42’s ‘State of Rajasthan Startup Ecosystem 2023’ report. 

Under the iStart Programme, the state government claims that 147 startups have received more than INR 5 Cr in funding. These funds support startups at all stages — from pre-seed, seed and growth stages and aims to foster innovation, accelerate growth and promote entrepreneurship in the state.

Through the global investment summit, the government wants to showcase the opportunities and attract investors to Rajasthan with an aim to double its economy and exports by 2030.