The tri-city belt of Hubballi, Dharwad, and Belagavi is rapidly transforming into Karnataka’s next primary hub for innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship under the state government’s ‘Beyond Bengaluru’ initiative.
Speaking at the Techceleration 2026 summit hosted in Hubballi by the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), Sanjeevkumar Gupta, CEO of KDEM, highlighted that the regional tech cluster is effectively bridging local talent with global markets.
Deep Talent Pipeline and High National Ranking More than 25,000 engineering and technology graduates enter the workforce annually from this regional cluster. Highlighting the region’s human capital strength, Gupta noted that Belagavi ranks fourth on the National Talent Index, positioning northern Karnataka as a formidable competitor in technical capabilities.
Currently, 128 IT companies operate within the KDEM-supported clusters across the region, alongside over 100 active startups.
Key Investments on the Anvil The corridor is witnessing significant traction from global manufacturing and tech corporations:
- Nidec Corporation (Japan): Announced an investment of ₹600 crore, which is expected to create 1,800 direct jobs.
- Aerospace & Defence: Discussions are currently underway with leading aerospace and engineering firms—including Aequs, Airbus, and Boeing—for investments estimated at ₹2,000 crore.
- Centres of Excellence: An allocation of ₹56 crore has been deployed to set up two Centres of Excellence (CoE) to spur regional innovation, skill training, and incubation.
- Economic Vision 2031: KDEM aims to build a ₹7,500-crore digital economy in the cluster by 2031, targeting thousands of high-value direct technology jobs.
B.V. Naidu, Chairman of KDEM, stated that the ‘Beyond Bengaluru’ policy has injected momentum into regional economies. He noted that ten large enterprises have already anchored operations in Hubballi, Dharwad, and Belagavi, with continued support committed for emerging regional tech parks.
Industry Voices Call for Region-Wise Minimum Wage Revision Participating in the discussions, industrialist Aravind Melligeri urged the state government to reconsider its uniform minimum wage structure. Emphasizing the sharp cost-of-living differences between Tier-1 metros and emerging hubs, Melligeri advocated for region-based wage slabs.
“Uniform minimum wages across Bengaluru, Hubballi, and Koppal do not reflect practical realities,” Melligeri stated. “Setting wages indexed to local living costs would strongly incentivize companies to relocate or expand outside Bengaluru.”
Melligeri added that local talent does not lack capability but requires targeted, industry-aligned upskilling. With high global demand for quality output, he advised regional startups and manufacturing units to focus on product excellence and agility to secure long-term market leadership.
