Hon’ble Minister Shri Priyank Kharge meets ARTPARK team to strengthen plans on prototyping, manufacturing and shared R&D capabilities

The Government of Karnataka is looking to strengthen the State’s deep-tech ecosystem through the next phase of growth at the AI & Robotics Technology Park (ARTPARK), an ITBT supported Centre of Excellence. Hon’ble Minister Shri Priyank Kharge met the ARTPARK team to discuss its plans for expansion, including the development of BRAINZ (Bangalore Robotics and AI Innovation Zone), strengthening ArtGarage and ArtLabs, and building deeper capabilities in prototyping, manufacturing and shared research and development (R&D).

The next phase of ARTPARK will focus on creating greater value from Karnataka’s investments in research and innovation, strengthening the infrastructure needed to develop, test and scale technologies, and taking up mission-mode projects in foundational deep-tech areas.

Speaking about the next phase, Shri Priyank Kharge, Hon’ble Minister for Electronics, IT, Biotechnology and other portfolios, Government of Karnataka, said, “Karnataka has built a strong foundation in technology, research and entrepreneurship. Our next priority is to strengthen the capabilities that will help us move from research to real-world applications. Through BRAINZ, ArtGarage and ArtLabs, we want to create stronger infrastructure for prototyping, manufacturing and shared R&D, enabling researchers and startups to build, test and scale deep-tech solutions. Our ambition is to ensure that Karnataka continues to lead not just in adopting new technologies, but in developing them and translating them into products, enterprises and solutions that create meaningful impact.”

A proud milestone for Karnataka’s research ecosystem

ARTPARK has also been selected as one of five Focused Research Organisations (FROs) under the Government of India’s Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund. Bengaluru-based ARTPARK and the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP), both supported by the Government of Karnataka’s Department of Electronics, IT and Biotechnology, are among the five selected organisations.

Calling this a proud moment for the State, Shri Kharge said, “It is a proud moment for Karnataka that two of the five Focused Research Organisations selected under the Centre’s RDI Fund are Bengaluru-based institutions supported by our Department—ARTPARK and C-CAMP. This recognition reflects the strength of the research and innovation ecosystem we have built in Karnataka. We will continue to support institutions that push the boundaries of science and technology, strengthen deep-tech capabilities and help translate research into solutions with economic and societal value.”

Strengthening the journey from research to commercialisation

Since its inception, ARTPARK has received over ₹62 crore from the Government of Karnataka and has incubated 36 deep-tech companies, with 18 more in the pipeline. The incubated startups have a combined valuation of over ₹1,700 crore.

ARTPARK has also delivered social innovation projects and is rated among the top two of India’s 23 hubs under the Department of Science and Technology’s National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) programme.

The proposed BRAINZ campus is envisioned as a collaborative innovation zone bringing together startups, researchers, academia and industry to accelerate work in AI, robotics and enabling technologies. Strengthening ArtGarage and ArtLabs will support deeper prototyping, manufacturing, testing and shared R&D capabilities, helping innovators move from ideas and research towards practical applications and market-ready solutions.

Through sustained support for Centres of Excellence, research institutions and deep-tech enterprises, Karnataka aims to strengthen the full innovation pathway—from foundational research and technology development to commercialisation and scale-up—reinforcing Karnataka’s position as a leading centre for AI, robotics and deep-tech innovation.