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

As per the official release, the Government of Karnataka is looking to strengthen the States deep-tech ecosystem through the next phase of growth at the AI & Robotics Technology Park (ARTPARK), an ITBT-supported Centre of Excellence.

Minister for Electronics, IT, Biotechnology and other portfolios, Government of Karnataka, Priyank Kharge met the ARTPARK team on Thursday 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 Karnatakas 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, Minister Kharge 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.

ARTPARK has also been selected as one of five Focused Research Organisations (FROs) under the Government of Indias 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 Karnatakas Department of Electronics, IT and Biotechnology, are among the five selected organisations.

Calling this a proud moment for the State, Kharge said, It is a proud moment for Karnataka that two of the five Focused Research Organisations selected under the Centres 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.

Since its inception, ARTPARK has received over Rs 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 Rs 1,700 crore.

ARTPARK has also delivered social innovation projects and is rated among the top two of Indias 23 hubs under the Department of Science and Technologys 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 Karnatakas position as a leading centre for AI, robotics and deep-tech innovation. (ANI)