Insider Brief
- Karnataka has approved ₹48 crore (about $5.78 million USD) for the second phase of a Quantum Research Park at IISc Bengaluru to expand its role in quantum science and technology.
- The park will provide shared R&D infrastructure, workforce training programs, and startup support to advance quantum computing and sensing applications.
- The initiative aims to support 55 R&D projects, 13 startups, and 15 faculty-led research efforts, strengthening Karnataka’s position in India’s quantum ecosystem.
The Karnataka Cabinet has approved ₹48 crore — or about $5.78 million USD. — for the second phase of a Quantum Research Park in Bengaluru, expanding the push of the state, located southwestern India, to become a key hub for next-generation computing and advanced scientific research.
The facility will be developed on the campus of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), one of India’s top research institutions, according to The Hindu Businessline. It will serve as a shared resource for industry, academic institutions, and startups focused on quantum technologies—an emerging area of science expected to transform sectors like pharmaceuticals, cybersecurity, finance, and climate modeling.
Quantum technologies involve using principles of quantum physics — such as superposition and entanglement — to build radically new computing and sensing devices. While many of these systems remain in experimental stages globally, they are expected to outperform today’s computers in solving specific problems, including simulating molecular structures in drug development or solving optimization challenges in finance and logistics.
India, already a global tech leader, is investing heavily to become a leader in this new form of computing technology.
Follow-on to Earlier Efforts
The initiative, overseen by Karnataka’s Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and announced by the state’s IT and Biotechnology Minister Priyank Kharge, is a follow-on to earlier efforts to build foundational infrastructure for quantum R&D in the region. According to The Hindu Businessline, the park will include specialized labs, shared research equipment, and space for collaborative experimentation—facilities not typically available to smaller startups or research teams.
“This initiative will strengthen Karnataka’s leadership in quantum research, skill-building and innovation. It will offer a collaborative space for academia, startups and industry to work on cutting-edge quantum technologies,” said Kharge on X.
The investment is also aimed at developing human capital. The park will feature a dedicated training center for educators and students, hands-on labs to tackle real-world problems, and workforce development programs to upskill engineers, scientists, and teachers in quantum-related fields. The state government expects this to strengthen Karnataka’s claim as India’s foremost “quantum-ready” workforce hub.
According to The Hindu Businessline, the second phase will support 55 state R&D projects and host 13 startups in its first round. It will also provide internal research funding to 15 IISc faculty members, increasing the pool of homegrown intellectual property and innovation.
Officials see this as more than a science initiative. By investing in frontier research areas like quantum computing and quantum sensing, Karnataka hopes to stimulate economic development, attract foreign direct investment, and create a cluster of global relevance. Government leaders are betting that building high-end research capabilities — especially in emerging fields — will put the state at the center of a future quantum economy.
