Bengaluru Skill Summit 2026 Overview

The Department of Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood (SDEL) of the Government of Karnataka announced the second edition of the Bengaluru Skill Summit, scheduled for 3–5 November 2026 at The Lalit Ashok Bengaluru. The summit is organised by SDEL, hosted by the Karnataka Skill Development Corporation (KSDC), in collaboration with the Karnataka Skill Development Authority (KSDA) and with the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM) as Knowledge Partner. Trescon is the event manager.

Theme and Objectives

The event is anchored on the theme “Workforce 2030: Scale, Systems, Synergy”, reflecting Karnataka’s aim to build a scalable, system‑driven and collaborative workforce ecosystem. The summit seeks to move beyond dialogue to execution‑focused workforce transformation, involving government, industry, academia and global partners.

Expected Participation

The summit anticipates more than 6,500 footfall, over 150 speakers, 50+ exhibitors and 100+ partners. Four thematic tracks will be covered: Emerging Skills (green jobs, AI, Industry 4.0, digital economy), Skills for All (inclusion of women, youth, informal workers, gig economy), Innovation (showcasing best practices and ecosystem innovations) and Global Skills (enhancing global employability and mobility).

Inauguration

The inauguration on 3 November at 5:00 PM will be performed by Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar, with Deputy Chief Minister Dr. G. Parameshwara, Minister for Skill Development Dr. Sharanprakash Rudrappa Patil and other dignitaries in attendance.

Plenary and Marquee Sessions

The Plenary Stage will host senior government leaders, industry experts and academia to discuss future‑ready skills, lifelong learning, inclusive participation, AI‑enabled transformation and policy‑industry collaboration. Marquee sessions include a panel of senior Karnataka ministers on “Workforce 2030: Karnataka’s Roadmap from Policy to Execution”, a panel of State Skill Development Secretaries on “Learning from India’s Leading Skills Ecosystems”, and a WorldSkills Champions session featuring Karnataka winners of WorldSkills 2026.

Keynote and Special Address Speakers

Keynote speakers include Subroto Bagchi (Founder, Mindtree and Chairman, Vision Group for Skill Development, Government of Karnataka), Dr. Gururaj ‘Desh’ Deshpande (Entrepreneur, Founder, Cascade Communications, Sycamore Networks, Tejas Networks), and Dr. R. Balasubramaniyam (Member, NITI Aayog). Special address speakers are Ms. Alina Alam (Founder & CEO, MITTI Café) and Air Commodore Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair (Kirti Chakra, Astronaut, ISRO). Additional speakers listed include senior executives from Mela Ventures, Portea Medical, HCL Tech, Pearson India and others.

New Features for 2026 Edition

  • Precursor Events – thought‑leadership sessions held at the Mysuru Big Tech Show 2026 and HDB Techceleration 2026 to generate statewide momentum.
  • Innovation Stage – platform for applied skilling solutions, emerging models and pilots.
  • Development Dialogue by Deshpande Skilling – closed‑door dialogue on “From Skilling to Employment: Getting Rural Youth into the Workforce”.
  • Expo Arena – showcase of practical solutions, programmes and technologies.
  • Kaushalya Karnataka Awards 2026 – second edition recognizing corporate and institutional excellence across categories such as Best Trainer, Best Trainee, Best Institution, Best Self‑Help Group and Best District. Awards ceremony on 5 November at The Lalit Ashok.
  • Skillathon 2026 – competition inviting individuals, teams, startups and organisations to use public government data to map jobs, sectors and skill trends, validate insights, guide policy and shape future systems.
  • Parallel Roundtables – sector‑specific discussions organised by Recommerce & GIZ (Green Skills), Seventh Sense (Blue Collar Economy), Automotive Skill Development Council (Smart Factories), Ripples Learning (Academia 2030), KSDA & KDEM (CG + Trade Mission), BSVT (Vertical Transportation), AssisTech Foundation (Inclusive Skilling), Indo‑German Chamber of Commerce (International Mobility), National Skills Network (Employability Integration) and NextGen Health (Healthcare & Life Sciences).

Quote

Dr. Sharanprakash Rudrappa Patil, Minister for Medical Education and Skill Development, Entrepreneurship & Livelihood, said the inaugural 2025 edition laid a strong foundation and the 2026 summit will further strengthen partnerships and build a future‑ready workforce.