Mangaluru: An exclusive round table hosted by Vertex Managed Workspace in honour of John Maier, CEO of Bose Professional, has showcased Mangaluru’s emergence as a promising destination for technology and global investment. The event, held on September 8 at Ajanta Business Centre, Bejai-Kapikad, brought together industry leaders, academics, and government representatives to deliberate on the city’s innovation potential. The session was presided over by Darshan H V, IAS, deputy commissioner of Dakshina Kannada.

Bose sets up Global Capability Centre in Mangaluru

John Maier was in Mangaluru to review Bose Professional’s newly established Global Capability Centre (GCC) at Vertex Treo, Kadri. Launched with a single employee, the GCC has already expanded to 25 professionals under the leadership of Namith Padmaraj, director (software engineering), Bose Professional. The centre is projected to grow to 100 members within the coming year.

“This is our first dedicated R&D centre outside Massachusetts, and the energy and talent we see here confirm that choosing Mangaluru was the right decision,” Maier said, highlighting the facility’s role in global innovation in sound technologies.

Policy and ecosystem support

Deputy commissioner Darshan emphasised the role of GCCs in shaping the digital future of Mangaluru. Drawing from his experience in developing Karnataka’s pioneering GCC policy, he urged exploration of Animation, Visual, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) sound technologies. He underlined that Karnataka’s Beyond Bengaluru initiative, combined with proactive local policies, positions Tier II cities like Mangaluru to attract high-value global investments.

Vertex Managed Workspace founders Gurudatta Shenoy, Mahesh Shetty, and Mangaldeep A. R. welcomed Maier and stressed their mission of enabling enterprises. “We have supported over 35 organisations with more than 2,000 workspaces across six premises in Mangaluru, while facilitating global networking through hubs like Dubai,” said Gurudatta Shenoy.

Leaders highlight Mangaluru’s strengths

The round table brought together key figures including Nittin Dargan (Bose Professional), Commander Dr Anil Rana (MIT Manipal), Dr Ravi B (NITK), Rajendra Shenoy (L Code Technologies), Suyog Shetty (Niveus Solutions), Mohammed Hanif (Novigo Solutions), Brijesh Balakrishnan (Infosys), Shivanand Shetty (M Result Technologies), Kamal Karanth (Xpheno), Mukesh S (Silicon Beach Programme), P. B. Ahmed Mudassar (KCCI), Chetan Dixit (KDEM), and others.

Participants noted the city’s strong talent pool, low attrition, cost competitiveness, infrastructure, quality of life, and entrepreneurial culture. They also pointed to lifestyle factors—surfing, sports, and cultural vibrancy—that make Mangaluru attractive for talent and global companies.

During the event, John Maier presented the ‘Emerging Homegrown Tech Company’ Award to Krop AI, received by cofounder and CEO Farish Anfal. The discussion was moderated by Johnson Tellis, CEO of Sahyadri College of Engineering and Management, with Ashish as the master of ceremonies.

Innovation in Sound: Day 2 celebrations

The second day of the Bose Innovation in Sound – Mangaluru Story on September 9 unfolded at Tannirbhavi beach, combining technology, culture, and adventure.

The day opened with a surfing event in collaboration with Mangalore Surf Club, followed by an interactive session where students from MIT Manipal, NITK, and Sahyadri College of Engineering engaged in dialogue with John Maier on technology and the future of sound.

A surfing training session gave participants hands-on exposure to Mangaluru’s growing adventure sports scene. This was followed by cultural performances, including a flute recital by noted Mangaluru artist Reuben Machado and melodious Tulu songs by Shor the Band, celebrating local traditions.

The programme ended with a beachside breakfast, allowing participants to network against the scenic backdrop of Tannirbhavi.

Conclusion

The two-day Bose Professional event marked a milestone for Mangaluru’s positioning as Karnataka’s next technology hub. For Bose Professional, it reinforced the potential of its Global Capability Centre. For Vertex Managed Workspace, it was another milestone in enabling world-class enterprises. For Mangaluru, it was a showcase of how technology, academia, culture, and lifestyle converge to build a globally competitive ecosystem.