Government of Karnataka, BACL, and ANSR Launch a Global Innovation Hub in Bengaluru Airport City

Bengaluru, India – June 14, 2025: The Government of Karnataka, Bengaluru Airport City Ltd. (BACL), and ANSR jointly announce the launch of a Global Innovation Hub, District I — a pioneering initiative within BACL’s Business Park, that aims to unify and elevate India’s innovation ecosystem to a global scale.  

District I will serve as a central platform to accelerate deep-tech entrepreneurship, enterprise-driven innovation, and the commercialisation of academic research. By bringing together Global Capability Centers (GCCs), IT service providers, accelerators, corporate labs, startups, VCs, academia, and public institutions, the initiative fosters an interconnected, collaborative ecosystem across industries and institutions.

With a focus on advanced technologies such as AI, quantum computing, blockchain, and customer experience technologies, this hub will foster innovation in critical industries including aerospace, space tech, smart cities, retail, BFSI, manufacturing, telecom, and defence — sectors where Bengaluru already leads with deep technological capabilities.

District I will be an integral part of Bengaluru Airport City’s expansive 28 million sq. ft. Business Park cluster, a world-class, mixed-use urban destination. Encompassing cutting-edge R&D hubs, a dedicated Education & Health District, a vibrant mix of hospitality, entertainment, and lifestyle offerings, Bengaluru Airport City is envisioned as an international gateway to a sustainable, smart, and vibrant inclusive urban growth.

Ekroop Caur, Secretary – Department of Electronics, IT, BT, and S&T, Government of Karnataka, said: “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.”

Rao Munukutla, Executive Director & CEO, BACL added, “At Bengaluru Airport City, we are proud to introduce District I, a dynamic hub created to inspire and empower the next generation of innovators. More than just a physical space, District I captures the ethos of work, play, live, learn, and create, offering startups and enterprises a vibrant ecosystem backed by world-class infrastructure. District I is central to our long-term vision of building a future-ready, innovation-led economy – one where ideas spark, collaborations thrive, and entrepreneurs drive meaningful change. With this initiative, we aim to catalyse a mindset shift — from job seekers to job creators — and reaffirm our commitment to India’s journey as a global innovation powerhouse. We extend our sincere gratitude to the Government of Karnataka and the ANSR Group for their invaluable support in bringing this vision to life.”

Lalit Ahuja, Founder & CEO, ANSR, said: “While Bengaluru is recognized as a leading technology hub, there remains potential to strengthen its position with a globally benchmarked innovation platform. 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. By uniting startups, service providers, GCCs, academia, and public infrastructure on one seamless platform, we are setting a powerful flywheel in motion that will propel the next wave of breakthrough technologies from India to the world”.

Bengaluru Airport City is rapidly solidifying its reputation as a model for advanced urban development, with operational facilities like a cutting-edge central kitchen and a state-of-the-art 3D printing unit already in place. Plans to establish India’s first airport-based Concert Arena and a modern Convention & Exhibition Centre are set to elevate it as both a cultural and business destination. Adding to its appeal are the projected 5,200 hotel rooms, including the Taj Bangalore with its 370 luxurious rooms and the under-construction combo hotel featuring 775 rooms under the Vivanta and Ginger brands. Designed as a renewable energy-powered campus with an IGBC Green Cities Platinum rating, the city integrates sustainable practices like rainwater harvesting and infrastructure aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Bengaluru Airport City is also being developed as Smart city, encompassing 5 pillars such as Built environment & City Management, Urban Mobility, Energy, Safety & Security and Environment & water.

With over 16,000 startups, 50% of India’s unicorns, 550+ GCCs, and one of the world’s most dynamic tech talent pools, Bengaluru is uniquely positioned to lead the next wave of global innovation. The Global Innovation Hub will build on this strong foundation by enabling deeper collaboration between industry, government, and academia. It will act as a launchpad for startups, a commercialisation engine for academic research, and a co-innovation platform for enterprises, all designed to amplify the city’s impact on the global innovation map.

About District I

The District I is a pioneering initiative by the Government of Karnataka, Bengaluru Airport City Ltd. (BACL), and ANSR to build a world-class platform for deep-tech innovation in Bengaluru. District I will bring together startups, enterprises, academia, investors, and government to accelerate entrepreneurship, research commercialization, and enterprise-led innovation. Governed by a cross-sector advisory board, the Hub aims to create high-value jobs, generate IP, and position Bengaluru as a top global hub for advanced technologies like AI and quantum computing, powered by the vision of building “India for the World.”

About BIAL:

Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru (BLR Airport), operated by Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), closed FY 2024–25 with strong performance across key metrics. The airport became the first in South India to serve over 41.88 million passengers, earning a place in the ACI Large Airport category, and processed 502,480 metric tonnes of cargo. As South India’s busiest airport and the third largest in the country, BLR reached a significant milestone in February 2025, surpassing 350 million cumulative passengers since its opening. In terms of Cargo, BLR Airport continues to be the No. 1 Airport for processing perishable cargo in India for the fourth consecutive year. BIAL’s growth is powered by Fairfax India Holdings Corporation, its majority private promoter. Through significant investment, Fairfax plays a key role in accelerating the airport’s development and transformation.

About Bengaluru Airport City Limited:

Bengaluru Airport City Limited (BACL) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bangalore International Airport Limited, BIAL (operator of Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru). BACL has been founded to develop the Airport City at BLR Airport as a world-class destination of a truly mixed-use development, consisting of Business Parks, Technology Hubs, Health District, Convention & Exhibition Centre, Knowledge Park, Hospitality, Central Park, a multipurpose Concert Arena, and more. The Airport City is developed as an international gateway to a Sustainable, Smart, Vibrant city celebrating a culture of innovation.

The Airport City will embrace Innovation 24×7 and will be the test bed for global urban solutions. This futuristic Airport City is being developed applying core principles of Work, Play, Live, Learn & Create which shall leverage airport accessibility for commercial development and economic growth.

BACL is committed to establishing the Airport City as one of India’s leading developments in terms of quality and efficiency and set a benchmark for the future commercial developments in India.

About ANSR

ANSR is the definitive global leader in establishing and operating Global Capability Centers. With over 175 GCCs established for more than 100 Fortune 500 companies across key innovation hubs in India, Eastern Europe, and Southeast Asia, ANSR combines unparalleled strategic insight, proven execution capabilities, and proprietary technology solutions to help enterprises build and grow their global teams. As pioneers of the GCC as a Service (GaaS) model and creators of the revolutionary 1Wrk platform, ANSR continues to redefine how enterprises achieve operational excellence and accelerate their digital transformation journeys. With over a decade of experience and a team of seasoned GCC experts, ANSR delivers predictable outcomes that enable enterprises to gain competitive advantage through their global capability centers. To know more www.ansr.com