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.
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SC slams freebies culture, says states should open avenues for employment
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Thursday slammed the freebies culture, saying it was high time to revisit such policies that hamper the country's economic development.
Taking note of the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Ltd's plea, which proposed to provide free electricity to all irrespective of financial status of consumers, the top court said it was quite understandable if states hand-hold the poor.
“Most of the states in the country are revenue deficit states and yet they are offering such freebies” overlooking development, a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi said.
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The bench said economic development of the nation gets hampered with this kind of largesse distribution and states should work to open avenues for employment instead of giving free food, cycles, electricity to all.
The top court, however, issued notice to Centre and others on the plea of the DMK government-led power distribution firm which proposes to provide free electricity.
The power firm has challenged a rule of the Electricity Amendment Rules, 2024.
“What kind of culture are we developing in India? It is understandable that as part of the welfare measure you want to provide to those who are incapable of pay the electricity charges,” the bench asked.
“But without drawing a distinction between those who can afford and those who cannot, you start distributing. Will it not amount to an appeasing policy,” the CJI asked.
The bench asked as to why the Tamil Nadu firm suddenly decided to loosen the purse strings after the electricity tariff was notified.
“The states should work to open avenues for employment. If you start giving free food from morning to evening then free cycle, then free electricity then who will work and then what will happen to the work culture,” the CJI said.
The bench said states, instead of spending on development projects, do two jobs - paying salaries and distributing such largesse.
