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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Centre spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print media ads for RSS centenary, reveals RTI
New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Culture allegedly spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print advertisements marking the 100-year celebrations of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), according to a Right to Information (RTI) reply.
The information was sought by RTI activist Ajay Basudev Bose, who filed an application seeking details on expenditure incurred by the ministry for advertisements commemorating the RSS centenary.
Bose shared a picture of the reply from the ministry on his official ‘X’ handle.
“It is informed that an amount of Rs 76,13,129 has been spent on advertisement given in various print media by the Ministry of Culture on the occasion of the completion of 100 years of RSS,” the government’s reply stated.
RTI reply shows Min of Culture Govt of India spent a Whopping Rs 76L,13K,129 on Advertisement in Print Media on occasion of 100 yrs of #RSS
— AJAY Basudev Bose (@AjayBos93388306) April 16, 2026
When Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??@RSSorg… pic.twitter.com/dW4IUtdNCg
Bose questioned the expenditure in the post X, “when Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??”
Reacting to the development, Karnataka’s IT-BT and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge also criticised the spending.
In a post on X, he asked why public money was being used for what he described as a “private ideological project.”
"Modi Sarkar spent Rs 76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS. Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to celebrate their centenary?," he added.
Why is public money being used to serve a private ideological project?
— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) April 16, 2026
Modi Sarkar spent ₹76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS.
Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to… pic.twitter.com/EoZ6Pim3IM
According to reports, the RSS describes itself as a volunteer-based organisation and has stated that it functions as a body of individuals rather than a registered entity.
Founded by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in 1925, the organisation is marking its centenary year beginning from Vijaydashami in 2025, with the milestone observed on October 2.
