From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Sep 11: In a major initiative to boost the Start-Ups in the State, Karnataka’s Information Technology (IT) and Biotechnology (BT) Department entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Embassy of Finland in Bengaluru on Monday.

The innovation cooperation between Karnataka and Finland, called Karnataka – Finland Innovation Corridor, offers a virtual platform facilitating the exchange of information and expertise in the fields of science, research, innovation and skill development.

As regional hubs for innovation and start-ups, Karnataka and Finland are natural partners for connecting companies, entrepreneurs, students, researchers, officials, academia as well as investors from India and Finland. 

Karnataka – Finland Innovation Corridor envisions identifying mutual interests and organising joint projects, such as start-up incubation programmes, research programmes, events, competitions and exposure visits.

Karnataka-based i-SAMARTH programme, initiated by Nokia, will act as an informal focal point for IoT-related Indian and Finnish companies to collaborate in the fields of Research and Development (R&D) and innovation. 

Further, to meet the growing demand for quality human capital in technology, Karnataka and Finland plan to organise suitable skill development programmes.

As per the MoU, a high-level steering committee, constituted to oversee the pace and progress of the Karnataka – Finland Innovation Corridor, will meet at least once in six months. 

This committee will be co-chaired by the signatory participants of the MoU, Priyank Kharge, Minister of IT, BT & Tourism, and Nina Vaskunlahti, Ambassador of Finland to India, based at the Embassy of Finland in New Delhi. The Principal Secretary of the Department of IT & BT and the Counsellor (economic & commercial) from the Embassy of Finland in New Delhi will be the secretaries of the steering committee.

Speaking on the occasion, Priyank Kharge said, “The Karnataka – Finland Innovation Corridor heralds a new age of collaboration and knowledge sharing between the two regions. 

Besides organising industry events, exposure visits, start-up incubation programmes, competitions and research programmes, the MoU envisions providing landing pads (temporary office space and other assistance at a reasonable price) for start-ups when a company from one side plans to explore the market on the other side, Kharge explained.

“Our aim is to facilitate collaborations between start-up incubators and accelerators from Karnataka and Finland. Over the next few months, we will be organising matchmaking events where start-ups and large corporations from Karnataka and Finland get a chance to interact and work with each other,’’ the minister added.

Ambassador Nina Vaskunlahti said, “With this MoU, we wish to develop and intensify our mutually beneficial cooperation with Karnataka in the fields of innovation, science and research, and skill development. We look forward to organising a joint official and company programme along with the Bengaluru Tech Summit, Bengaluru India Nano and Nokia Innovation Day in Bengaluru.’’ 

The purpose is also to enhance the people-to-people connectivity, whereby students, researchers and company R&D professionals from Karnataka and Finland can connect, cooperate and meet on a regular basis, she said, adding promoting and highlighting each other’s innovation and start-up ecosystem, delegation visits and media visits from both sides will be planned.