PRESS RELEASE
Bengaluru Skill Summit 2026 to bring together government, industry, global partners and youth to advance Karnataka’s Workforce 2030 agenda
The second edition will focus on strengthening skilling systems, aligning skilling with industry demand, expanding access to future skills, and building international collaborations.
Bengaluru, 02 November 2026: The Department of Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood (SDEL), Government of Karnataka, is set to host the second edition of Bengaluru Skill Summit from 3–5 November 2026 at The Lalit Ashok Bengaluru. The Summit is organised by the Karnataka Skill Development Corporation (KSDC) in collaboration with the Karnataka Skill Development Authority (KSDA), Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM) as Knowledge Partner and managed by Trescon. With Japan as the country partner for this year’s edition, the Summit will bring together government, industry, academia, international stakeholders and youth to advance workforce development and skilling in Karnataka.
Following its inaugural edition in November 2025, the Summit returns under the theme “Workforce 2030: Scale, Systems, Synergy”, bringing together policymakers, industry leaders, academic institutions, training providers, international stakeholders and youth to address workforce requirements and strengthen the connection between education, skilling and employment.
The Summit will focus on Four Thematic Tracks:
Emerging Skills: Preparing for green jobs, AI, Industry 4.0, the digital economy and other growth sectors.
Skills for All: Advancing inclusion across women, youth, informal workers and the gig economy.
Innovation: Showcasing global and local best practices and ecosystem innovations in skilling.
Global Skills: Positioning Karnataka’s workforce for global employability and mobility.
The Summit is expected to record 6,500+ footfall, 150+ speakers, 100+ partners and 50+ exhibitors. The programme will focus on practical approaches to workforce development, including industry-led skilling, emerging technologies, institutional frameworks, inclusive participation and global talent mobility.
The Summit will be inaugurated by Shri D. K. Shivakumar, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Karnataka, in the august presence of Dr. G. Parameshwara, Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka. The Summit will be presided over by Dr. Sharanprakash R. Patil, Hon’ble Minister for Medical Education and Skill Development, Entrepreneurship & Livelihood, Government of Karnataka.
The distinguished Guests of Honour will include Dr. M. B. Patil, Hon’ble Minister for Large and Medium Industries and Infrastructure Development; Shri Priyank Kharge, Hon’ble Minister for Home, Information Technology and Biotechnology, and E-Governance; Shri Basavaraja Rayareddy, Hon’ble Minister for Higher Education; Shri Santosh S. Lad, Hon’ble Minister for Labour; Shri Rizwan Arshad, Hon’ble Minister for Food and Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs; and Shri Vijayananda Kashappanavar, Hon’ble Minister for Small Scale Industries and Public Enterprises, Government of Karnataka.
The distinguished dignitaries will also include Smt. Shivakantamma (Kanta) Naik, Chairperson, Karnataka Skill Development Corporation and Karnataka Vocational Training & Skill Development Corporation; Shri Subroto Bagchi, Chairman, Vision Group for Skill Development, Government of Karnataka; Shri Guruprasad Mudlapur, President, Bosch Group in India and Managing Director, Bosch Limited; Shri Rangesh Raghavan, Corporate Vice President and Managing Director, Lam Research India; Dr. Shalini Rajneesh, IAS, Chief Secretary, Government of Karnataka; Smt. Uma Mahadevan, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary-cum-Development Commissioner, Government of Karnataka; Dr. E. V. Ramana Reddy, IAS (R), Chairman, Karnataka Skill Development Authority; Shri Subodh Yadav, IAS, Principal Secretary to Government, Department of Skill Development, Entrepreneurship & Livelihood; Smt. Vasireddi Vijaya Jyothsna, IAS, Mission Director, National Livelihood Mission; Smt. Shilpa M, IAS, Commissioner, Department of Industrial Training and Employment; and Dr. Ravi M. Tirlapur, KAS, Managing Director, Karnataka Skill Development Corporation and Karnataka Vocational Training & Skill Development Corporation.
Advancing the Workforce 2030 agenda
The Summit's programme will bring together policy discussions, industry engagement, knowledge exchange and practical demonstrations to examine how Karnataka can strengthen workforce systems and improve alignment between training and employment.
Key areas of focus include emerging skills, inclusive skilling, innovation in training delivery, global skills standards, workforce mobility and employer-led curriculum development. The programme architecture also includes policy and industry roundtables, the Skill Expo, the Innovation Stage, the CoE Pavilion and the Country Partner Pavilion.
These platforms are intended to support collaboration among policymakers, employers, academic institutions, training providers and international partners, with an emphasis on scalable approaches to workforce development.
Speakers and participating leaders
The Summit will bring together leaders from government, industry, academia, technology, entrepreneurship and international organisations to discuss workforce planning, education-industry alignment, emerging technologies and the future of skilling.
The key speakers list includes Subroto Bagchi, Chairman, Vision Group for Skill Development, Government of Karnataka; Mrs. Debashree Banerjee, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India, Dr. Gururaj ‘Desh’ Deshpande, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist and Ecosystem Builder, Deshpande Foundation; N. S. Parthasarathy, Managing Partner, Mela Ventures; Biren Ghose, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Astra Studios and Uma Mahadevan, Additional Chief Secretary and Development Commissioner, Government of Karnataka.
Other speakers include Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair (Kirti Chakra), Astronaut, Sci/Eng ‘G’, ISRO, and Air Commodore, IAF; Hiroshi Nawata, Consul General, Consulate General of Japan in Bengaluru; Annett Baessler, Deputy Head, Consulate General of Germany in Bengaluru; Dr. Vivek Raghavan, Co-Founder, Sarvam AI, Ankush Sabharwal, Founder & CEO, CoRover.ai: Ajay Vij, Senior Country Managing DirectorAccenture Solutions Pvt Ltd, India and Kaushik Mudda, Co-founder & Chief Executive Officer, Ethereal Machines. Click here to view a full list of speakers.
Industry and ecosystem partners backing workforce development
Bengaluru Skill Summit 2026 brings together organisations investing in the development of skills, talent and workforce capabilities across India. Their participation reflects the role of industry, education, technology and skilling institutions in strengthening the connection between learning, employability and the evolving needs of the economy.
The Summit features a strong network of leading industry partners, academic institutions, and skilling organisations, including Accenture, Pearson, HCL Foundation, IIMBx Learning Foundation, TVS Skills, NASSCOM – Future Skills Prime, Deshpande Skilling, Tally Education, Goethe-Institut, SOULT, Dharwad Research and Technology Incubator Foundation, and Ramaiah Technology and Business Incubator. Click here to view full list.
Through their involvement, these organisations contribute to a broader ecosystem focused on strengthening skills, supporting talent development and advancing approaches that respond to changing workforce requirements. Their association with the Summit underscores the importance of sustained collaboration between industry, education and skilling institutions in preparing India's workforce for emerging opportunities.
Leadership perspectives on Bengaluru Skill Summit 2026
Commenting on the Summit, Dr. Sharanprakash Rudrappa Patil, Hon’ble Minister for Medical Education and Skill Development, Entrepreneurship & Livelihood, Government of Karnataka, said:
“Karnataka is committed to building a workforce that can respond to emerging industry needs, embrace technological change and contribute to the opportunities of a rapidly evolving global economy. Bengaluru Skill Summit 2026 advances this vision by bringing government, industry, academia and international partners together to strengthen the connection between education, skills and employment. Our focus is to build an inclusive, industry-aligned and future-ready skilling ecosystem that empowers our youth to become skilled professionals, innovators and entrepreneurs.”
Smt. Shivakantamma (Kanta) Naik, Chairperson, Karnataka Skill Development Corporation (KSDC) and Karnataka Vocational Training & Skill Development Corporation (KVTSDC), said:
“A strong workforce is built by creating opportunities for people to develop their capabilities, adapt to change and participate meaningfully in the economy. Karnataka’s skilling ecosystem must continue to evolve in response to the aspirations of its youth, the needs of industry and the opportunities emerging across sectors. Bengaluru Skill Summit 2026 brings these priorities together, creating space for collaboration, innovation and shared learning. Through stronger partnerships and a focus on inclusive workforce development, we can help build a future-ready Karnataka where skills open pathways to employment, entrepreneurship and sustainable livelihoods.”
Shri Subodh Yadav, IAS, Principal Secretary to Government, Department of Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood, said:
“Building a future-ready workforce requires more than individual skilling initiatives. It calls for coordinated systems, stronger institutional partnerships and a clear alignment between training and workforce demand. Bengaluru Skill Summit 2026 provides an important platform to advance this agenda by bringing stakeholders together to identify priorities, strengthen implementation and develop scalable approaches to workforce development. Through sustained collaboration, Karnataka aims to create a skilling ecosystem that is responsive, inclusive and aligned with the needs of a changing economy.”
Dr. E. V. Ramana Reddy, IAS (R), Chairman, Karnataka Skill Development Authority (KSDA), said:
“Workforce 2030 represents a long-term commitment to strengthening how Karnataka anticipates, develops and deploys talent. Achieving this vision requires stronger coordination across institutions, evidence-informed planning and closer collaboration between government, industry and academia. Bengaluru Skill Summit 2026 creates a platform to advance these priorities, explore emerging workforce needs and build approaches that can be scaled across sectors. By translating collaboration into coordinated action, we can strengthen Karnataka’s position in the national and global talent ecosystem.”
Dr. Ravi M. Tirlapur, KAS, Managing Director, Karnataka Skill Development Corporation (KSDC), said:
“The next phase of Karnataka’s skilling journey must focus on translating ambition into implementation and measurable progress. At KSDC, our priority is to strengthen the pathways connecting skill development, industry requirements and employment opportunities. Bengaluru Skill Summit 2026 brings this agenda into focus through industry engagement, knowledge exchange, innovation showcases and discussions on scalable skilling models. It is an opportunity to strengthen partnerships and advance practical approaches that support workforce readiness across Karnataka.”
Building a future-ready workforce
The Summit aims to strengthen alignment between education and industry demand, enable outcome-driven skilling systems and deepen collaboration among government, industry and academic institutions. Discussions will examine how workforce planning, training quality, emerging technologies and international partnerships can support employment pathways and a more inclusive talent ecosystem.
The Bengaluru Skill Summit 2026 will take place from 3–5 November 2026 at The Lalit Ashok Bengaluru. Participation is through the Summit’s registration and admission process.
Register here: https://bengaluruskillsummit.com/get-involved/
For more information, visit www.bengaluruskillsummit.com.
For media enquiries
Imran Mushtaq | imran@tresconglobal.com | 7780902815