Portuguese tech companies meet Karnataka startups to explore AI, robotics partnerships

Portuguese technology companies met Karnataka-based startups in Bengaluru on Tuesday to discuss partnerships in manufacturing, artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, cybersecurity, and consumer-focussed tech.

The interaction took place at the Global Innovation Alliance (GIA) - Portugal Edition, a network of international partnerships, hosted by the IT/BT department.

The Portuguese delegation included industrial equipment manufacturing firm CEI by Zipor, software company Infinite Foundry, AI technology solutions firm Muvu Technologies, and software firm Softi9, the IT/BT department said in a statement.


Technology startups Greywiz, mSense, Gigamation, and Acviss Technologies participated in the meeting. These startups showcased solutions across industrial AI, automated inspection, manufacturing automation, and supply-chain trust, the release said.

IT/BT department director Rahul Sharanappa Sanknur, Karnataka administrative service (KAS) officer Apoorva Bidari, attended the event alongside senior leaders from Global Business Inroads (GBI), an international business management platform, to strengthen collaboration between both regions.

"Karnataka's GIA creates real, outcome-driven global pathways for startups. Through platforms like the GIA Mixer, we not only facilitate international exposure but also enable meaningful collaborations, pilot opportunities, and market access that translate into long-term growth for both Karnataka startups and global partners," Sanknur said.

The state continues to push its startup ecosystem through programmes like Elevate, a government initiative that supports startups through grants. Participants also explored the state's approach to enabling global market access for startups through pilots and ecosystem partnerships.

The discussions also saw presentations from K-tech centres of excellence (CoE), including one in cybersecurity and another for machine intelligence and robotics (MINRO).