Nearly five decades after helping lay the foundation for Bengaluru’s rise as India’s technology capital, Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation Limited is attempting a fresh reset.
Once celebrated as the force behind Electronic City, the state-run agency is now looking to redefine its role in an economy increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence and deep technology.
The legacy of Electronic City
KEONICS played a historic role in developing Electronic City, which later became the heart of India’s IT boom and home to some of the country’s biggest technology companies.
The township helped transform Bengaluru into a global innovation centre and created lakhs of jobs over the decades.
Its contribution remains one of Karnataka’s most significant industrial success stories.
Facing a new era
However, the current challenge is different.
With rapid advances in AI, automation and startup-led innovation, public institutions like KEONICS are under pressure to evolve faster and remain relevant.
Observers say years of slow institutional movement and changing industry priorities reduced the organisation’s earlier influence.
Chairman highlights success
Sharat Bachegowda reportedly said the corporation’s biggest success remains the creation of Electronic City.
His remarks come as the agency looks to build a new roadmap for the next generation of industries.
What a reset could mean
Industry experts believe KEONICS could play a major role in:
- AI and electronics manufacturing hubs
- Startup incubation infrastructure
- Semiconductor ecosystem support
- Skill development for future jobs
- Expansion of tech growth beyond Bengaluru
Karnataka’s next opportunity
As global technology shifts rapidly, KEONICS now faces the task of proving that the institution which helped build old Bengaluru can also help shape the next Bengaluru.