District I launches at Bengaluru Airport: 16,000 startups to reshape global innovation

The Government of Karnataka, Bengaluru Airport City Ltd. (BACL), and ANSR have launched District I, a Global Innovation Hub located within Bengaluru Airport's Business Park, designed to accelerate deep-tech entrepreneurship and innovation.

District I aims to house over 16,000 startups and 50% of India’s unicorns, focusing on advanced technologies such as AI, quantum computing, blockchain, aerospace, space tech, BFSI, manufacturing, telecom, and defence. This initiative is part of Phase 1 of Bengaluru’s aerocity development, which includes R&D centers, education and health facilities, business parks, retail, and entertainment.

Ekroop Caur, Secretary of the Department of Electronics, IT, BT, and S&T, Government of Karnataka, emphasized, “Bengaluru has always led from the front in India’s tech journey. With the Global Innovation Hub, we are creating a platform that brings together every part of the ecosystem to collaborate, innovate, and lead globally. This is a key step toward making Bengaluru the world’s next great innovation capital.”

Lalit Ahuja, Founder & CEO of ANSR, added, “With the launch of District I, we are not only reaffirming the city’s stature as the Silicon Valley of the East, but we are redrawing the global map of innovation.”

Rao Munukutla, Executive Director and CEO of BACL, described District I as a dynamic hub created to inspire and empower the next generation of innovators, offering a vibrant ecosystem backed by world-class infrastructure.

The hub will serve as a launchpad for startups, a commercialization engine for academic research, and a co-innovation platform for enterprises, fostering collaboration between industry, government, and academia to amplify Bengaluru’s impact on the global innovation map.

Located on the Kempegowda International Airport campus, the aerocity is envisioned as a multi-faceted ecosystem with space for research, education, business, retail, and entertainment, further strengthening Bengaluru’s leadership in technology and innovation.

This landmark partnership aims to position Bengaluru as a global innovation capital, leveraging its existing technological strengths and vibrant startup ecosystem to drive future growth and global collaboration.

Karnataka government, Bengaluru Airport City Ltd., and ANSR launched District I, a Global Innovation Hub at Bengaluru Airport, aiming to host 16,000 startups and 50% of India’s unicorns. The hub focuses on AI, quantum computing, aerospace, and more, positioning Bengaluru as a global innovation capital.