TiE Mangaluru to host inaugural TiECon Mangaluru 2026 on january 16
Convention to bring together 500+ delegates, 50+ investors, 30+ startup exhibitors
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Mangaluru: TiE Mangaluru will host the inaugural TiECon Mangaluru 2026 on January 16, coinciding with National Startup Day, marking a major milestone for the startup ecosystem of Coastal Karnataka.
The convention, supported by the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM) and the Silicon Beach Program (SBP), is expected to bring together more than 500 delegates, including entrepreneurs, investors, corporate leaders, policymakers, and innovators from across India and abroad, with a focus on highlighting Coastal Karnataka’s emergence as an innovation and investment destination.
TiECon Mangaluru 2026 will feature over 50 investors and 30 startup exhibitors, showcasing 30 of the region’s most promising startups. The event aims to position the Mangaluru–Udupi–Manipal belt, widely referred to as the Silicon Beach of India, as a key driver of Karnataka’s next phase of startup-led growth.
The convention will see participation from several senior leaders and prominent figures from government, industry and the startup ecosystem.
Key leaders at the event:
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Priyank Kharge, Minister of IT & BT, Govt. of Karnataka
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Captain Brijesh Chowta, MP of Dakshina Kannada
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S Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)
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Manjula N IAS, Secretary, IT & BT, Govt. of Karnataka
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Sharath Bache Gowda, Chairman, KEONICS
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Padma Shri Prashanth Prakash, Partner, Accel India
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Murali Bukkapattanam, President, TiE Global
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Mohandas Pai, Chairman, 3one4 Capital
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Romal Shetty, CEO, Deloitte South Asia
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Suniel Shetty, Entrepreneur and Actor
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BV Naidu, Chairman, KDEM
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Sanjeev Gupta, CEO, KDEM
Speaking to the media at the Mangaluru Press Club, Rohith Bhat, Founding President of TiE Mangaluru, said that the TiE Mangaluru chapter was established in April 2023 with the vision to galvanize the startup ecosystem in the Mangaluru–Udupi–Manipal region, which is now recognised as the Silicon Beach of India.
He said that in less than two years, TiE Mangaluru has organised 40+ startup-focused programmes, reached 400+ entrepreneurs, and built a strong member base of 130+ founders, who collectively employ over 20,000 people.
He further stated that with the presence of 15+ angel investors and three recent tech exits collectively valued at over USD 250 million, the region has demonstrated strong early traction and clear potential to emerge as Karnataka’s next major startup hub. Outlining the long-term roadmap, he said the vision is to enable 4,000 startups by 2034, with at least five unicorns emerging from the region.
Adding to this, Prashanth Rao Aroor, Chair of the TiECon Organising Committee 2026, said the convention features a strong lineup of speakers and ecosystem builders such as Prashanth Prakash, Mohandas Pai, BV Naidu and Sanjeev Gupta, from whom the region intends to learn and draw inspiration to become one of the top innovation hubs in the country in the coming decade.
He added that 30 high-potential, high-growth startups from the Silicon Beach of India have been carefully curated for potential investors and high-net-worth individuals to experience the innovation taking shape in the region.
TiE Mangaluru expressed its gratitude to its sponsors for extending support to TiECon Mangaluru 2026.
The event is supported by DBS as the banking partner, with Niveus Solutions (part of NTT Data), Featherlite, and Neo Wealth Partners as platinum sponsors. The diamond sponsors include Nuvama Private, Karnataka Bank, Vertex Workspace, and Peninsula Del Mar, while The Avatar Hotel is the hospitality partner for the convention.
About TiE:
TiE was founded in 1992 in Silicon Valley by a group of successful entrepreneurs, corporate executives and senior professionals with the objective of fostering entrepreneurship globally. Over the last 25 years, TiE chapters around the world have evolved into a vibrant platform for entrepreneurs, professionals, industry leaders and investors to interact, collaborate and forge long-lasting relationships. Today, TiE has over 15,000 members, including more than 3,000 charter members and mentors, spread across 61 chapters in 14 countries.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
