BENGALURU, 24 NOV

The Karnataka government has announced the launch of a Centre for Entrepreneurship in Kalaburagi as part of its flagship LEAP (Local Economy Accelerator Program). With a budget of Rs 1,000 crore over five years, the initiative aims to enhance regional entrepreneurship, decentralise innovation, and stimulate economic growth in the state's emerging tech clusters.

In collaboration with the KrishiKalpa Foundation, the Centre will focus on strengthening the innovation ecosystem in the Kalyana Karnataka region, particularly in agriculture, allied sectors, rural innovation, and emerging technologies. The Kalaburagi District Administration has allocated 15,000 sq ft of workspace to serve as a dedicated startup hub for founders, agripreneurs, innovators, and stakeholders.

"The Centre will operate on a framework of Mentorship – Market Access – Money Access," said Priyank Kharge, Minister for Electronics, IT, BT and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj. "Through LEAP and the new Centre for Entrepreneurship, we are bridging the rural–urban divide by bringing technology, innovation, and opportunity directly to our communities."

With Karnataka’s IT-BT sector exceeding Rs 1.5 lakh crore and LEAP aimed at creating five lakh jobs, this Centre of Excellence is set to empower Kalaburagi’s youth to develop sustainable livelihoods through innovations in agri-tech and deep-tech. A formal launch of the Centre is anticipated in early January 2026.