Bengaluru Skill Summit 2026 to be held from 3 to 5 November 2026 at The Lalit Ashok Bengaluru under the theme “Workforce 2030: Scale, Systems, Synergy”
BENGALURU: The Department of Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood (SDEL), Government of Karnataka, today announced the second edition of the Bengaluru Skill Summit at a curtain raiser held at Vikasa Soudha, Bengaluru. The summit will be held from 3 to 5 November 2026 at The Lalit Ashok Bengaluru, India.
The curtain raiser was attended by Dr. SharanprakashRudrappa Patil, Hon’ble Minister for Medical Education and Skill Development, Entrepreneurship & Livelihood, Government of Karnataka; Sri Subodh Yadav, I.A.S., Principal Secretary to Government, Department of Skill Development, Entrepreneurship, Livelihood; Smt. Shivakantamma (Kanta) Naik, Chairperson, Karnataka Skill Development Corporation and Karnataka Vocational Training & Skill Development Corporation; Dr. E.V. Ramana Reddy, IAS (R), Chairman, Karnataka Skill Development Authority (KSDA); Mr. Hiroshi Nawata, Consul General, Consulate General of Japan in Bengaluru; Dr. Ravi M. Tirlapur, K.A.S., Managing Director, Karnataka Skill Development Corporation (KSDC); Smt. Vasireddy Vijaya Jyothsna, I.A.S., Mission Director, National Livelihood Mission (NLM); and Smt. Shilpa M, I.A.S., Commissioner, Department of Industrial Training & Employment; and Rev. Fr. Dr. Victor Lobo SJ, Vice-Chancellor, St. Joseph’s University.
Under the patronage of Hon’ble Minister Dr. SharanprakashRudrappa Patil, Bengaluru Skill Summit 2026 is organised by the Department of Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood (SDEL), Government of Karnataka, hosted by the Karnataka Skill Development Corporation (KSDC), in collaboration with the Karnataka Skill Development Authority (KSDA), with the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM) as Knowledge Partner. The Summit is managed by Trescon.
Following a successful inaugural edition in November 2025 that drew over 6,500 footfall over three days, the 2026 summit returns as a strengthened, expanded and execution-focused platform. It is designed to move beyond dialogue into system-level workforce transformation, bringing together government, industry, academia and global partners to co-develop scalable skilling models.
About the Theme
The summit is anchored under the theme “Workforce 2030: Scale, Systems, Synergy,” reflecting Karnataka’s intent to build a workforce ecosystem that is scalable across sectors and geographies, structured through strong institutional systems, and driven by collaboration across stakeholders.
Bengaluru Skill Summit 2026 is expected to welcome:
• 6,500+ Footfall
• 150+ Speakers
• 50+ Exhibitors
• 100+ Partners
• National and international delegations
Four Thematic Tracks
The summit builds on the inaugural edition with an execution lens focused on how scale is operationalised, systems are institutionalised, and synergy is translated into measurable outcomes. The programme is structured around four thematic tracks: Emerging Skills, Skills for All, Innovation and Global Skills.
Emerging Skills: Preparing for green jobs, AI, Industry 4.0, the digital economy and other growth sectors.
Skills for All: Advancing inclusion across women, youth, informal workers and the gig economy.
Innovation: Showcasing global and local best practices and ecosystem innovations in skilling.
Global Skills: Positioning Karnataka’s workforce for global employability and mobility.
Inauguration Day
Inauguration of the 2nd edition of Bengaluru Skill Summit is scheduled for 3rd November at 5:00 PM by honorable Chief Minister of Karnataka, Shri D. K. Shivakumar in presence of Dr. G. Parameshwara, honorable Deputy Chief Minister and honorable Minister for Skill Development, Entrepreneurship & Livelihood and Medical Education Dr. SharanprakashRudrappa Patil and other dignitaries
Plenary Stage
The Plenary Stage will anchor the summit’s leadership conversations, bringing together senior government leaders, industry experts, academia and workforce practitioners to examine the priorities shaping Workforce 2030. Discussions will explore future-ready skills, lifelong learning, inclusive workforce participation, global skills, AI-enabled transformation, employability and the role of policy and industry collaboration in building a future-ready workforce.
Marquee Sessions
The Plenary Stage will also feature a set of marquee sessions bringing high-level government leadership, state-level skilling perspectives and young skills champions into the centre of the Summit programme.
Panel Discussion by Senior Ministers of the Government of Karnataka
A high-level discussion on the topic “Workforce 2030: Karnataka’s Roadmap from Policy to Execution” bringing together the following key portfolios to examine Karnataka’s priorities for building a future-ready workforce and translating policy into measurable outcomes.
- Large & Medium Industries and Infrastructure Development
- Information Technology, Biotechnology (IT/BT)
- Skill Development, Entrepreneurship, and Livelihood
- Higher Education
Panel Discussion by State Skill Development Secretaries
A cross-state discussion on “Learning from India’s Leading Skills Ecosystems”, bringing together Skill Development Secretaries to share practical approaches to strengthening skills systems, improving implementation and responding to evolving workforce needs.
WorldSkills Champions Session
A session featuring young winners from Karnataka who participated in WorldSkills 2026, Shanghai, sharing their experiences and journeys at the global skills competition. The session will spotlight how skills excellence can build confidence, open career pathways and create opportunities on the global stage.
Leadership and Industry Participation
The summit will feature 150+ speakers, bringing together senior government leaders, industry experts, academia, entrepreneurs and workforce practitioners from across India and international markets.
Keynote Speakers will include Subroto Bagchi, Founder, Mindtree and Chairman, Vision Group for Skill Development, Government of Karnataka; Dr. Gururaj ‘Desh’ Deshpande, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist and Ecosystem Builder and Founder, Cascade Communications, Sycamore Networks, and Tejas Networks; and Dr. R. Balasubramaniayam, Member, NITI Aayog.
Special Address Speakers will include Ms. Alina Alam, Founder and CEO, MITTI Café, and Air Commodore Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair (Kirti Chakra), Astronaut, Indian Space Research Organisation.
Other key speakers on the Plenary Stage will include N.S. Parthasarathy, Managing Partner, Mela Ventures; Meena Ganesh, Co-founder & Chairperson, Portea Medical; Uma Mahadevan, Development Commissioner, Government of Karnataka; Kaushik Mudda, Co-founder & CEO, Ethereal Machines; Rashmi Ranjan Mohapatra, CEO, World Skill Center and Odisha Skill Development Project II; Mekin Maheshwari, Founder & CEO, Udhyam Learning Foundation; Mohan Lakhamraju, Founder & CEO, Great Learning; Mr. Rajiv Kumar Sharma, Founder & Managing Director, Empower Pragati and Empower Foundation; Gopal Devanahalli, President, Skills Development Network; Dr. Nidhi Pundhir, SVP, Global CSR, HCL Tech & Director, HCL Foundation; and Vinay Kumar Swamy, Country Head, Pearson India.
What’s New in the 2026 Edition
Precursor Events
The 2026 edition introduced Precursor Events to build statewide momentum ahead of the Summit through thought leadership sessions hosted at Karnataka Digital Economy Mission’s cluster events. Sessions were organised at the Mysuru Big Tech Show 2026 and HDB Techceleration 2026 in Hubballi, bringing the Workforce 2030 conversation to key technology and innovation ecosystems across Karnataka.
Innovation Stage
The summit architecture also expands with the Innovation Stage featuring applied skilling solutions, emerging models and pilots that address real workforce challenges. It will provide a platform for innovators, institutions and industry to showcase approaches that can be tested, adopted and scaled.
Development Dialogue by Deshpande Skilling
Hosted with the topic “From Skilling to Employment: Getting Rural Youth into the Workforce” will be a closed-door Development Dialogue hosted by Deshpande Foundation, focused on the transition from training to employment for rural youth. The dialogue will bring together government, skilling organisations, employers and development partners to examine how proven approaches can be strengthened, scaled and translated into sustainable employment pathways.
Expo Arena
The Expo Arena will provide a platform for organisations, institutions and innovators to showcase practical solutions, programmes and technologies shaping the future of skills and work. It will enable participants to discover proven models, emerging solutions and opportunities for collaboration.
Kaushalya Karnataka Awards 2026
Following its introduction at the inaugural Bengaluru Skill Summit 2025, the Kaushalya Karnataka Awards returns for its second edition in 2026, continuing as an annual recognition of excellence in Karnataka’s skilling and workforce development ecosystem. The awards will recogniseorganisations and institutions contributing to industry-led skilling, workforce transformation, industry-academia collaboration, inclusivity, innovation and measurable employment outcomes, alongside institutions and individuals driving excellence in skill development and training. The awards will be presented across Corporate Excellence and Institutional Excellence (Best Trainer, Best Trainee, Best Institution, Best Self-Help Group, and Best District) categories at the grand awards ceremony on 5 November 2026 at The Lalit Ashok, Bengaluru.
Skillathon 2026
As part of Bengaluru Skill Summit 2026, Skillathon invites individuals, teams, startups and organisations from across India to design how Karnataka can read its labour market and plan skilling around real demand.
Participants will use publicly available government data to show what insights on jobs, skills and sectors can be drawn, how these can guide state policy, and how data from many sources can be brought together securely on a digital platform.
The Value
- Decode Demand: Map jobs, sectors and skill trends.
- Validate Insights: Test assumptions and identify data gaps.
- Guide Action: Inform skilling priorities and investments.
- Shape Future Systems: Generate inputs for KSISU design.
Parallel Roundtables
Alongside the main summit programme, Bengaluru Skill Summit 2026 will feature focused roundtables bringing together organisations and stakeholders across the skilling and workforce ecosystem.
- Green Skills — organised by Recommerce and GIZ
- Blue Collar Economy — organised by Seventh Sense
- Smart Factories — organised by Automotive Skill Development Council
- Academia 2030 — organised by Ripples Learning
- CG + Trade Mission Roundtable — organised by Karnataka Skill Development Authority and Karnataka Digital Economy Mission
- Vertical Transportation — organised by Bharath School of Vertical Transportation Training Pvt. Ltd. (BSVT)
- Inclusive Skilling — organised by AssisTech Foundation (ATF)
- Skills Development and International Mobility — organised by Indo-German Chamber of Commerce
- From Knowledge to Capability: Integrating Employability into Education for Workforce 2030 — organised by National Skills Network
- Healthcare & Life Sciences — organised by NextGen Health
Minister’s Quote
Dr. SharanprakashRudrappa Patil, Hon’ble Minister for Medical Education and Skill Development, Entrepreneurship & Livelihood, Government of Karnataka, said, “The inaugural edition in 2025 laid a strong foundation for collaboration and action. We now look forward to the second edition in November 2026, where stakeholders from across government, industry, academia, and the global community will come together to further strengthen partnerships and build a future-ready workforce.”
A Platform for Workforce Transformation
Bengaluru Skill Summit is positioned as Karnataka’s workforce systems platform, bringing together policymakers, industry leaders, employers, academia, training institutions, global partners and youth to strengthen the connection between education, skilling and employment. The summit provides a platform for policy dialogue, industry engagement, innovation, skills showcases and collaboration around scalable workforce solutions.
The Summit’s plenary and executive sessions are invitation-only and closed-door, while designated areas of the Expo, Innovation Stage and other public-facing activations are accessible to visitors.
Event Details
Event name: Bengaluru Skill Summit 2026
Theme: Workforce 2030: Scale, Systems, Synergy
Dates: 3 to 5 November 2026
Venue: The Lalit Ashok Bengaluru, India
Organised by: Department of Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood (SDEL), Government of Karnataka
Hosted by: Karnataka Skill Development Corporation (KSDC)
In collaboration with: Karnataka Skill Development Authority (KSDA)
Knowledge Partner: Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM)
Managed by: Trescon
About Bengaluru Skill Summit
Bengaluru Skill Summit is Karnataka’s workforce systems platform, positioned to strengthen the state’s leadership in workforce development, bridge gaps between education, skilling and employment, and build scalable skilling systems aligned with emerging sectors. The Summit is positioned as a long-term annual platform contributing to Karnataka’s broader workforce transformation agenda.
