State to become first customer for 100 start-ups under ‘Government First’ initiative
Karnataka has launched the 'Government First' initiative to support 100 start-ups by acting as their first customer for innovative technology solutions. The state has allocated ₹25 crore to help these companies test and deploy products within government departments.
Why it matters
This policy aims to bridge the gap between early-stage innovation and market adoption by providing a controlled environment for startups to prove their technologies.
Karnataka’s ‘Government First’ initiative is being implemented to provide start-ups with opportunities to develop solutions for the requirements of government departments, test and evaluate their products and technologies in real government environments, and enable successful solutions to be considered for government procurement, said Priyank Kharge, Minister for Home, Information Technology, Biotechnology, and E-Governance, here on Wednesday (September 30).
The initiative, being implemented as part of the Elevate programme under the Karnataka Startup Policy 2025–30, has been approved by the State government. It aims to support up to 100 start-ups over a three-year period, with a total allocation of ₹25 crore.
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