Two-day summit brought together policymakers, industry leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators across seven priority sectors
Bengaluru : The 22nd edition of the Confederation of Indian Industry’s (CII) flagship Innovation Summit, CII INNOVERGE 2026, concluded today in Bengaluru after two days of thought-provoking discussions, strategic collaborations and technology showcases, reinforcing India’s ambition to emerge as an AI-led product nation.
Held on 22–23 July 2026 at The Taj West End, Bengaluru, the Summit was organised under the theme “Transforming India into an AI-Led Product Nation – Innovation, Trust & Technology.” The event brought together policymakers, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, innovators, researchers and academia to deliberate on opportunities across seven national priority sectors—Automotive & Next-Generation Mobility, Biotechnology & Life Sciences, Aerospace, Space & Defence, Advanced Manufacturing & Industrial AI, Artificial Intelligence & Data Centres, Creative & Digital Content Industries (the Orange Economy), and Energy & Sustainability.
Addressing the Summit, Mr Priyank Kharge, Hon’ble Minister of Home, IT, Biotechnology & e-Governance, Government of Karnataka, said, “Karnataka’s innovation ecosystem has been strengthened through investments of over ₹300 crore, connecting talent, technology and global opportunities. Through Centres of Excellence, ELEVATE, international innovation alliances and soft-landing platforms, we are enabling startups to access mentorship, markets and institutional support. Our next priority is to deepen AI and deep-tech capabilities, engage students and industry in solving real-world challenges, and ensure that innovation and entrepreneurship scale beyond Bengaluru.”
Dr Selvakumar, IAS, Principal Secretary, Department of Commerce & Industries, Government of Karnataka, focussed Future-ready policies and continued partnerships to drive the next generation of sustainable mobility. He said, “Karnataka is well positioned to build a cleaner, smarter and globally competitive mobility ecosystem through stronger collaboration among government, industry, startups and research institutions.”
Ms Khushboo Goel Chowdhary, IAS, Commissioner for Industrial Development and Director of Industries & Commerce, Government of Karnataka, observed, “India’s opportunity lies in moving beyond manufacturing excellence to designing, developing, testing and producing world-class technologies and products for global markets. By strengthening innovation ecosystems, fostering deep-tech capabilities and accelerating technology commercialisation, India can emerge as a globally competitive product nation powered by AI and innovation.”
Mr Kris Gopalakrishnan, Past President, CII; Mentor, CII INNOVERGE 2026; Chairman, Axilor Ventures; and Co-founder, Infosys, shared that, “Karnataka’s culture of close collaboration among academia, enterprises, startups and government positions it to lead India’s AI transformation. AI must be leveraged to enhance quality, accelerate product development and improve productivity, enabling India to compete globally and contribute significantly to economic growth.”
Mr Kamal Bali, Chairman, CII INNOVERGE 2026 and President & Managing Director, Volvo Group India & Chairman of CII Innoverge 2026, emphasized “India’s next phase of growth will be defined by its emergence as a product nation. Bengaluru has the potential to become a global hub for AI-led product innovation, driven by a collaborative ecosystem where startups, government, enterprises and academia work together because partnership is the new leadership.” CII INNOVERGE 2026 reaffirms India’s innovation momentum by strengthening partnerships between government, industry, startups, investors, academia and research institutions. Mr Bali concluded the Summit with a shared commitment to accelerate indigenous innovation, commercialise emerging technologies and build globally competitive AI-enabled products that will power India’s next phase of economic growth.
Mr Guruprasad Mudlapur, Chairman, CII Karnataka and President, Bosch Group in India & Managing Director, Bosch Limited, said, “CII Karnataka remains committed to supporting initiatives that bring industry, government, academia and startups together to accelerate the adoption of AI and advanced technologies. The momentum created at CII Innoverge will help strengthen this collaborative ecosystem, enabling us to translate innovation into globally competitive products, enhance manufacturing excellence and further strengthen India’s journey towards becoming an AI-led product nation.”
Mr Sam Cherian, Vice Chairman, CII Karnataka State Council and Founder Chairman, Schevaran Group, underscored the importance of execution in the cornerstone of innovation.
Over the two days, the Summit featured more than 70 distinguished speakers, attracted over 700 delegates, showcased 20+ cutting-edge technology innovations, and saw participation from 25+ partner organisations. The event also recognised three outstanding startups through the CII INNOVERGE Startup Recognition Awards, celebrating breakthrough innovations with strong commercial and societal impact. The white paper on “Transforming India into an AI-Led Product Nation – Innovation, Trust & Technology” was released on the occasion in collaboration with McKinsey & Co.
The Summit was supported by leading innovative organisations including Volvo Ltd, Bosch Limited, Virya Mobility (Maini Group), 3M India Limited, RSB Transmissions (I) Limited, Infosys Limited, ZingHR Techno India Private Limited, Tata Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Private Limited, HCL Technologies Limited, Centum Electronics Limited, Toyota Kirloskar Motor Private Limited, Schevaran Laboratories Private Limited, Kennametal India Limited, ASM Technologies Limited, Nettur Technical Training Foundation (NTTF), Hitachi Energy India Limited, Kauvery Hospital, Aumovio, Singularis Wealth Private Limited, Paradeep Phosphates, Sona Star Innovation Pvt Ltd, N Ranga Rao & Sons Private Limited, and Kanara Consumer Products Limited.
