Karnataka’s minister of electronics, information technology & biotechnology, Priyank Kharge, announced on July 9 that Bengaluru will soon introduce its own ‘Yes San Francisco’ initiative. This program aims to promote sustainable development in the city while keeping up with the fast-paced technological advancements shaping its future.
Addressing a press gathering alongside KEONICS Chairman Sharath Kumar Bachegowda, Kharge said the move follows his recent visit to the United States for a roadshow, where the team drew inspiration from San Francisco’s collaborative model, co-led by Deloitte and the World Economic Forum. “Bengaluru will be the second city in the world to have such an initiative,” he noted.
The Bengaluru initiative aims to establish a participatory platform that brings together diverse stakeholders, including government bodies, corporations, academia, research institutions, think tanks, startups, and ordinary citizens, to identify and address the city’s pressing urban challenges.
The goal is to co-develop a roadmap for a more inclusive, livable, and future-ready Bengaluru, he said.
The government conducted a consultation involving 45 representatives from MNCs, local companies, Global Capability Centres (GCCs), educational institutions, and think tanks.
The minister said the session surfaced more than 120 potential issues, with sustainability across environmental, social, and economic dimensions emerging as the central theme.
Some of the key areas discussed included solid waste management, greywater management, mobility, public transportation, air quality, green cover, connectivity, and sustainable construction methods.
“Once the problem statements are ascertained, startups, corporations, or incubation centres will receive them and try to find appropriate solutions,” Kharge explained. “Once a stakeholder submits a solution, we will assess its feasibility and offer it as a pilot project. If the pilot succeeds, we will scale it.”
He added that the main goal was to determine how Bengaluru could become a sustainable and livable city in the future.
The initiative is expected to take full shape over the next two months and will mirror the collaborative governance model of ‘Yes San Francisco,’ which has successfully brought together public and private stakeholders to build an inclusive, tech-forward urban policy framework for the Bay Area.
Outer Ring Road Companies Association (ORRCA) had earlier said that IT companies in the city lost over $28 million (INR 225 crore) in a single day on August 30, 2022, as employees were stuck in traffic jams for over five hours.
The industry body said that inadequate infrastructure on ORR has reached a crisis level. Despite 30% of the ORR population returning to working from the office, the collapse of the infrastructure has drawn global concern on the city of Bengaluru’s ability to handle further growth,” Krishna Kumar, general manager of Outer Ring Road Companies Association (ORRCA), had shared.
The state government recently concluded a high-impact 10-day US roadshow in Boston, New York, and San Francisco, aimed at reinforcing the state’s position as a global hub for innovation and technology.
The delegation, led by senior officials from the Department of Electronics, IT & Biotechnology, engaged with over 120 stakeholders, including MNCs, startups, think tanks, and academic institutions.
Kharge said that the recent roadshow secured investments worth ₹5,100 crore (in ESDM and GCC sectors) for Karnataka, which are expected to materialise over the next six months. The investments are projected to generate around 9,700 jobs, he added.
According to a government press release, the initiative included one-on-one meetings, roundtables, and closed-door discussions, focusing on Electronics System Design & Manufacturing (ESDM), biotechnology, and deep-tech innovation. MoUs and Letters of Intent were signed with key players, indicating further investments in the pipeline.