Bengaluru matches Silicon Valley, Tokyo on global patents: Innovation Report
Bengaluru (PTI): Bengaluru’s score in the global patents metric is on par with Silicon Valley and Tokyo, underscoring its strength in IP generation and applied innovation, according to a report released at the tech summit here.
The city leads India in women-led start-ups, with 1,600 active ventures since 2010 that have collectively raised USD 10 billion, the Bengaluru Innovation Report-2025 said.
Bengaluru is recognised as India’s AI and Quantum Computing hub, attracting global giants like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Graphcore.
The city accounted for 58 per cent of India’s AI start-up funding in the last five years and is home to USD 872 million in AI investments, leading the nation in both funding and deal count, it added.
"Bengaluru is the fifth-largest unicorn hub globally, after Silicon Valley, New York, Beijing, and London, with 53 unicorns valued at USD 192 billion. This is more than any other Indian city, and Bengaluru’s unicorns contribute 42 per cent of India’s total unicorn valuation," it further stated.
The city leads in nurturing soonicorns (start-ups with unicorn potential).
Bengaluru has 39 soonicorns, compared with 30 in Delhi-NCR and 21 in Mumbai. These high-growth start-ups have raised USD 16.3 billion, demonstrating Bengaluru’s dominance in building the next generation of global tech leaders, it added.
Releasing the report at the Bengaluru Tech Summit 2025, IT Minister Priyank Kharge said, "This captures Karnataka's journey—a story of innovation driven by vision, empowered by inclusivity, and strengthened by technology. Together, we will continue to ensure that the state not only leads India’s digital future but also sets the benchmark for innovation-led governance globally."
The report noted that Bengaluru hosts 40 per cent of India’s global capability centres (GCCs), the highest in the country, and aims to double this by 2029.
Between 2020 and 2023, Bengaluru recorded the highest number of patents in India in computer science (503), electronics (473), and communication (441). Its score of 910 in the global patents metric is comparable to Silicon Valley and Tokyo, reflecting its strength in IP generation and applied innovation.
The report also highlighted efforts to boost start-ups outside Bengaluru. Over 450 "Beyond Bengaluru" start-ups have engaged in state cluster initiatives, supported by the Cluster Seed Fund and Karnataka Accelerator Network, ensuring access to capital and mentorship for non-metro ventures.
"Emerging clusters such as Mangaluru, Mysuru, and Hubballi-Dharwad are now ‘Cluster-as-a-Product’ destinations. Mangaluru, for example, saw tech firm Novigo Solutions acquired for Rs 950 crore, reflecting national and global investor confidence in non-metro start-ups," it said.
Start-ups in Bengaluru also achieved the fastest average time to exit—6.8 years—among 13 global hubs, faster than Silicon Valley (7.9 years) and Beijing (8.3 years).
"This speed reflects the maturity, investor confidence, and market readiness of Bengaluru’s ecosystem," the report added.
Since 2010, Bengaluru-based start-ups have raised USD 79 billion, accounting for 46 per cent of all venture capital deployed in India since 2016.
The 2024–25 period saw a 26 per cent rise in seed funding, with Bengaluru-based start-ups capturing 82 per cent of India’s AI application layer funding, reflecting strong investor conviction in early-stage deep-tech and AI ventures.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
'Someone must be held accountable': HC converts civil suit on Goa nightclub tragedy into PIL
Panaji (PTI): The Bombay High Court on Monday converted a civil suit against Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub into a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) saying "someone has to be held accountable" for the tragedy in which 25 people were killed.In a stern observation, Goa bench of the High Court of Justices Sarang Kotwal and Ashish Chavan said the local panchayat had "failed to take suo motu cognisance" of the club and had taken "no action despite complaints."
The division bench directed the Goa government to file a detailed reply on the permissions granted to the nightclub.
The High Court, while fixing January 8 as the next date of hearing, pointed out that commercial operations were continuing in the structure despite it having been served a demolition order.
The original petition was filed after the December 6 tragedy by Pradeep Ghadi Amonkar and Sunil Divkar, the owners of the land on which the nightclub was operating.
ALSO READ: Veteran Congress leader Shamanuru Shivashankarappa laid to rest with full state honours
Advocate Rohit Bras de Sa, the lawyer representing the petitioner, was made amicus curiae in the matter and has been asked to file a detailed affidavit in the matter.
In their petition, Amonkar and Divkar highlighted "the alarming pattern of statutory violations that have remained inadequately addressed despite multiple complaints, inspections, show-cause notices, and even a demolition order".
They contended that these violations posed "immediate threats to public safety, ecological integrity, and the rule of law in the state of Goa."
Investigations by multiple agencies into the nightclub fire have revealed various irregularities, including lack of permissions to operate the nightclub.
The Goa police arrested five managers and staff members of the club, while co-owners Gaurav Luthra and Saurabh Luthra have been detained in Thailand after they fled the country.
