Bengaluru Airport City Launches Global Innovation Hub 'District I' to Boost AI and Deep-Tech Innovation

Global Innovation Hub District I Launched at Bengaluru Airport City | AIM

District I will be part of the 28-million-sqft Bengaluru Airport City, a mixed-use smart city that includes business parks, education and health districts, hotels, entertainment centres, and R&D hubs. A global innovation hub, District I, jointly unveiled by the government of Karnataka, Bengaluru Airport City Ltd (BACL), and ANSR, is a major step in India's innovation journey. Located in the Bengaluru Airport City Business Park, this new hub aims to boost tech innovation by bringing together startups, enterprises, academia, and the government under one roof. The hub will focus on driving breakthroughs in key technologies like AI, quantum computing, blockchain, and customer experience tech. It will support industries such as aerospace, smart cities, defence, manufacturing, telecom, retail, and BFSI -- sectors in which Bengaluru already has a strong foothold. "Bengaluru has always led from the front in India's tech journey," Ekroop Caur, secretary, department of electronics, IT, BT, and S&T, government of Karnataka, said. "With the Global Innovation Hub, we are creating a platform that brings together every part of the ecosystem to collaborate, innovate, and lead globally." District I will be part of the 28-million-sqft Bengaluru Airport City, a mixed-use smart city that includes business parks, education and health districts, hotels, entertainment centres, and R&D hubs. It's being built to global standards with a focus on sustainability, using renewable energy and aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. "District I is a dynamic hub created to inspire and empower the next generation of innovators," said Rao Munukutla, executive director & CEO, BACL. The innovation hub is designed to accelerate the journey from research to real-world solutions. It will support academic commercialisation, startup incubation, and enterprise co-innovation. "With the launch of District I, we are not only reaffirming the city's stature as the Silicon Valley of the East, but we are redrawing the global map of innovation," Lalit Ahuja, founder & CEO, ANSR, said. Bengaluru Airport City already houses advanced facilities like a 3D printing unit and a central kitchen, with plans for India's first airport-based concert arena and a modern convention centre. Hospitality infrastructure is also expanding, including a 775-room hotel complex under the Vivanta and Ginger brands.

New global innovation hub at Bengaluru airport city to boost innovation in AI and critical industries

Karnataka, BACL, and ANSR have launched District I, a Global Innovation Hub, to foster deep-tech entrepreneurship and commercialize research. This collaborative ecosystem, located within BACL's Business Park, will focus on AI, quantum computing, and other advanced technologies. District I aims to establish Bengaluru as a leading global innovation capital, featuring R&D hubs, education facilities, and lifestyle amenities.Karnataka government, Bengaluru Airport City Ltd. (BACL), and consultancy firm ANSR on Tuesday launched a Global Innovation Hub, District I, to support deep-tech entrepreneurship, enterprise-driven innovation, and the commercialisation of academic research. Under the initiative, Global Capability Centres (GCCs), IT service providers, accelerators, corporate labs, startups, VCs, academia, and public institutions will develop a collaborative ecosystem. The focus will be on developing advanced technologies, including AI, quantum computing, blockchain, and customer experience technologies. The government stated that the hub will foster innovation in critical industries, including aerospace, space technology, smart cities, retail, banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI), manufacturing, telecommunications, and defence. Spread across BACL's Business Park cluster, which is a subsidiary of Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), the district will be 28 million sq. ft, which will house R&D hubs, a separate education and health district and lifestyle offerings. Karnataka's IT-BT, Secretary, Ekroop Caur, said, " With the Global Innovation Hub, we are creating a platform that brings together every part of the ecosystem to collaborate, innovate, and lead globally. This is a key step toward making Bengaluru the world's next great innovation capital." During the launch, BACL said the district project will be more than just a physical space and aims to capture the ethos of work, play, live, learn, and create, offering startups and enterprises a vibrant ecosystem backed by world-class infrastructure. "District I is central to our long-term vision of building a future-ready, innovation-led economy, one where ideas spark, collaborations thrive, and entrepreneurs drive meaningful change," said Rao Munukutla, Executive Director, BACL. Founder of ANSR, Lalit Ahuja, said Bengaluru has the potential to strengthen its position with a globally benchmarked innovation platform. "By uniting startups, service providers, GCCs, academia, and public infrastructure on one seamless platform, we are setting a powerful flywheel in motion that will propel the next wave of breakthrough technologies from India to the world." The BACL already has several facilities operational, including a central kitchen and a state-of-the-art 3D printing unit. Upcoming projects like India's first airport-based concert arena and a modern convention and exhibition centre are expected to strengthen BACL's position as both a cultural and business destination. The area will also feature around 5,200 hotel rooms. As part of its development as a smart city, it will focus on five key areas: built environment and city management, urban mobility, energy, safety and security, and environment and water.