Day 1 of CII INNOVERGE 2025 spotlights AI, R&D, and academia-industry partnerships as key catalysts driving India’s innovation-led growth and global competitiveness.
NFAPost, Bengaluru: CII INNOVERGE 2025, the Confederation of Indian Industry’s flagship innovation summit, commenced today at The Taj West End, Bengaluru, under the banner “Make in India, Developed India & Digital India.” The event brought together policymakers, industry stalwarts, academic leaders, and entrepreneurs to explore how India can harness the power of artificial intelligence (AI), research, and collaboration to realize its vision of Viksit Bharat@100.
Delivering the Keynote Address as Guest of Honour, Mr. Priyank Kharge, Hon’ble Minister for Electronics, Information Technology & Biotechnology, and Rural Development & Panchayat Raj, Government of Karnataka, underscored Karnataka’s unparalleled leadership in innovation and technology.
“Karnataka has evolved into one of the most disruptive innovation hubs in the world, powering breakthroughs from agritech to aerospace,” Mr. Kharge said. “With 40% of India’s R&D talent, 30% of all Global Capability Centres, and 48 of the country’s 110 unicorns, the State drives India’s digital economy. What sets us apart is our 3P model — People, Policy, and Participation — which ensures every stakeholder, from academia to entrepreneurs, has a voice in shaping growth.”
Mr. Kharge announced a ₹1,000 crore initiative to build innovation clusters across Mangaluru, Mysuru, Hubballi-Dharwad, and Belagavi, and revealed plans for a ₹100 crore fund to identify India’s top 50 AI companies at the upcoming Bengaluru Tech Summit 2025.
“Karnataka is not competing with other states — we are competing with ourselves to create global solutions through innovation, skills, and political will,” he added.
Innovation as Policy and Enterprise Core
Delivering the Special Address, Ms. Gunjan Krishna, IAS, Commissioner for Industrial Development and Director, Department of Industries & Commerce, Government of Karnataka, emphasized that innovation must transcend buzzwords and become a fundamental pillar of both enterprise and governance.
“Innovation thrives when academia, industry, startups, and government come together — that’s the bridge we must build,” she said. “Our policies are designed to foster collaboration and translate ideas into scalable outcomes, reinforcing Karnataka’s position as India’s innovation epicentre.”
R&D as the Bedrock of National Progress
Mr. Kris Gopalakrishnan, Past President, CII; Mentor, CII INNOVERGE 2025; Chairman, Axilor Ventures; and Co-Founder, Infosys Ltd., stressed the need for deep investment in research and the creation of robust industry-academia linkages.
“India’s innovation journey will accelerate when research, academia, and industry converge into a cohesive ecosystem,” he said. “Our next phase of growth must be measured not just by economic metrics but by innovation outcomes — tracking creativity and commercial impact as rigorously as financial performance.”
From ‘Make in India’ to ‘Lead from India’
Setting the strategic tone for the Summit, Mr. Kamal Bali, Past Chairman, CII Southern Region; Chairman, CII India INNOVERGE 2025; and President & Managing Director, Volvo Group India, spoke about AI-led productization as the next frontier for India’s growth.
“Accelerated innovation is the heartbeat of India’s growth story,” said Mr. Bali. “The vision of Make in Indiais now evolving into Imagine in India, Innovate in India, and Lead from India. This transformation is not just technological — it’s about unlocking human ingenuity at scale.”
AI Revolution and Collaborative Growth
Mr. Rabindra Srikantan, Chairman, CII Karnataka State Council 2025–26 & Managing Director, ASM Technologies Ltd., emphasized how India’s AI revolution aligns with the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
“Through open data, digital public infrastructure, and homegrown innovation, technology today empowers every entrepreneur, every learner, and every citizen,” he noted. “INNOVERGE 2025 celebrates this spirit of collaboration and innovation that defines India’s journey from Make in India to Lead the World.”
Nurturing Cross-Disciplinary Innovation
Rounding off the keynote addresses, Mr. Ramesh Ramadurai, Past Chairman, CII Karnataka State Council & Managing Director, 3M India, underscored the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration.
“Innovation happens at the intersection of multiple disciplines — that’s where true breakthroughs emerge,” he remarked. “Meaningful innovation flourishes in environments that celebrate experimentation and continuous learning.”
Recognizing Pioneers in Innovation
The inaugural day concluded with the CII INNOVERGE 2025 Recognitions, honouring organizations demonstrating exceptional leadership in innovation.
- Winner: Lab To Market Innovations Pvt Ltd (L2MRail)
- 1st Runner-up: Chemioptics Amit
- 2nd Runner-up: Rizzome Sustainable Solutions Pvt Ltd
Industry Participation and the Road Ahead
CII INNOVERGE 2025 saw participation from leading organizations, including Volvo Group, 3M India, Infosys, Bosch, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, ITC Hotels, ASM Technologies, RSB Transmission, Hitachi Energy, Kennametal India, Maini Group, and KREDL, among others. The State of Bavaria India Office also participated as an international partner, highlighting the summit’s global appeal.
Academic partner Welingkar Institute of Management showcased research insights and innovations, while over 300 CXOs and stakeholders from across industries engaged in discussions on driving India’s innovation-led growth.
Looking Ahead
Day 2 of the Summit will feature high-powered sessions on R&D in India, Education, Skills & Inclusion, and Manufacturing & Logistics, focusing on how these pillars can propel India toward its goal of becoming a global innovation powerhouse by 2047.
About CII INNOVERGE 2025:
An initiative by the Confederation of Indian Industry, CII INNOVERGE serves as a premier platform for fostering collaboration among government, academia, and industry to accelerate India’s innovation ecosystem. The 2025 edition places a special focus on AI, digital transformation, and sustainable industrial development under the national vision of Viksit Bharat@100.
