Mangaluru: The formal launch of Coastal Startup Fest 2026 was held on Friday at The Ocean Pearl, marking the beginning of a major initiative to position the coastal innovation corridor as a leading Tier-2 startup hub in India. The two-day festival is a flagship programme of AIC–Nitte Incubation Centre, K-Tech Innovation Hub, and the NITTE–Government of Karnataka Centre of Excellence in Aquamarine Innovation, bringing together startups, investors, industry leaders and academic institutions.
The launch programme opened with a welcome address by Dr A. P. Achar, Chief Executive Officer of AIC–Nitte Incubation Centre, followed by the traditional lamp-lighting ceremony. The event brochure was formally unveiled by chief guest Ameet Ganu S., General Manager – Corporate Strategy at MRPL.
Strong industry and institutional participation
The inaugural function drew participation from a wide cross-section of the startup and business ecosystem. Among the prominent guests present were Poornachandra, AGM, Canara Bank; Divakar Kochikar Pai, Vice President, Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI); CA S. S. Nayak, MSME and Startup Mentor; Athmika Amin, Industry–Academia Panel Convenor, CII; Dr Vijayendra Vasanth, Secretary, Udupi Chamber of Commerce and Industry; and Prashun Shetty, Founder and CEO of TagSkills EdTech Pvt. Ltd.
Startup founders, incubators, investors, industry associations, academic leaders and government representatives attended the event. The launch also received broad coverage from print, electronic and digital media platforms, reflecting growing interest in the coastal startup ecosystem.
Organisers said the festival is designed to serve as a collaborative platform connecting innovators with mentors, funding agencies, corporations and policymakers.
Speakers highlight startup-driven growth
In his inaugural address, Ameet Ganu S. highlighted the transformative role of startups in driving economic growth and addressing social challenges. He noted that innovation-led enterprises are increasingly contributing to employment generation and sectoral disruption beyond major metropolitan cities.
Poornachandra spoke about the importance of coastal startups in strengthening the national economy and pointed to flagship government initiatives such as Make in India and Startup India as catalysts for entrepreneurship. He said institutional finance and structured banking support are becoming more accessible to emerging ventures.
Prashun Shetty emphasised that students and young innovators are central to the startup movement and said educational institutions must actively support entrepreneurial experimentation. He underlined the need for skill-oriented innovation and industry-linked learning.
Athmika Amin stressed the importance of building early awareness about entrepreneurship among students and young professionals. She said exposure, mentorship and ecosystem support at an early stage can significantly improve startup success rates.
Call to diversify beyond IT sector
CA S. S. Nayak encouraged youth to actively explore opportunities in the startup ecosystem and make use of mentorship and incubation support available through recognised centres. He said structured guidance can help founders avoid common compliance and financial pitfalls.
Divakar Kochikar Pai advised innovators not to restrict themselves to information technology alone. He urged startups to explore emerging and high-impact sectors such as AgriTech, FinTech, HealthTech and allied domains where real-world problem-solving can create scalable enterprises.
Dr Vijayendra Vasanth said innovation is meaningful only when ideas are translated into practical, market-ready solutions. He added that industry bodies are increasingly open to collaborating with startups that bring efficiency and new thinking into traditional sectors.
Festival scheduled for March end
The main Coastal Startup Fest 2026 will be held on March 28 and 29 and is expected to feature multiple high-impact programmes. Key highlights will include SPARK 2026 – a Student Business Idea Challenge — a Coastal Startup Expo and Investor Summit, Coastal Startup Excellence Awards, an Industry–Academia Roundtable, and structured investor networking sessions.
The festival is being organised by AIC–Nitte Incubation Centre, K-Tech Innovation Hub, and the NITTE–Government of Karnataka Centre of Excellence in Aquamarine Innovation. Fiza by Nexus Mall is the venue partner, while KDEM is the strategic partner for the event.
The initiative is supported by MRPL, Canara Bank and TagSkills EdTech Pvt. Ltd., reflecting a blend of public, private and institutional backing.
Coordinated ecosystem effort
Organisers said the festival represents a coordinated effort to build a strong regional innovation ecosystem by linking incubation, funding, industry mentorship and student entrepreneurship. Members from AIC–Nitte, Nitte–KTech, NITTE–GOK COE Aquamarine, and Fiza by Nexus Mall coordinated the launch event.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks proposed by Deekshith Shetty, who acknowledged the contributions of partner institutions, sponsors and ecosystem stakeholders.
Conclusion
With structured programmes, investor connects and student-focused innovation challenges, the upcoming festival is expected to strengthen the region’s startup pipeline and enhance its visibility as a rising innovation destination beyond metro cities.