To facilitate the growth of emerging technologies in the state, the Karnataka government has inked 3 MoAs (Memorandum of Associations) worth Rs 100.52 crores.

In an event ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav – Innovation and Indigenization in Karnataka – a Gateway for inclusive and equitable growth’ jointly organized by Karnataka and DPIIT aligning with the Central government’s initiative “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav”, MoAs were signed on Friday in the presence of C.N. Ashwath Narayan, the Karnataka Minister for Electronics, IT/BT and Science &Technology.

Speaking on the occasion, Narayan said: “The Center of Excellences which will be set up under these MoAs aims to nurture and facilitate researchers, academicians, startups, and industry to develop technological framework characterizing ethical bindings and enable responsible deployment of AI and IOT across Agriculture, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Smart cities, and education.”

The first MoA, signed between the Department of Electronics, IT, BT and S&T, GoK, and Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) is to set up a Center of Excellence for Efficiency Augmentation in Bengaluru. The Center will support start-ups that would build products and solutions leveraging emerging technologies such as AI, ML, BigData, IoT among others to contribute to ‘Make in India’ and ‘Digital India’, he stated.

Another MoA, Tri-Party Agreement between Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society (KITS) GoK, I-Hub ARTPark, Narayan explained, has the objective to help create and maintain next-generation Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and advanced communication facilities (5G) and help nurture ‘technopreneurship’ activities.

He added the government will provide financial assistance of Rs 60 crore towards setting up the Centre of Excellence and its operations for a period of 5 years.

The third MoA is related to the establishment of the Centre for Internet of Ethical Things (CIET) in Bengaluru at a cost of Rs 22.92 crores for which KITS (Karnataka Innovative & Technological Society of IT/Bt Dept), IIIT-Bangalore, and World Economic Forum (WEF) signed.

The proposed Centre will contribute to policy frameworks pertaining to ethical and moral aspects of technologies and aims to nurture a thriving innovation ecosystem in the state.