Introduced under the Special Initiative of Karnataka’s Startup Policy 2025-30, the programme will support around 100 startups over three years with a total outlay of ₹25 crore.
Under the initiative, eligible startups can receive work orders of up to ₹25 lakh to implement and validate their solutions through government-led pilot projects. The programme builds on Karnataka’s existing startup support ecosystem and is designed to establish a direct link between startups and government departments.
A key feature of the Government First Initiative is that startups will be able to propose their own solutions instead of waiting for government departments to announce specific requirements. Through a separate route, departments can also publish problem statements and invite startups to develop solutions.
Startups will not need prior government experience to participate, potentially opening public-sector opportunities to younger companies.
Selected proposals will undergo technical evaluation before being approved for pilot projects. The solutions will then be tested in actual government environments against defined outcomes.
Successful pilots can move through outcome assessment, procurement recommendation, work-order issuance and execution. The process is intended to create a pathway for startups to progress beyond technology demonstrations and potentially secure government procurement.
The programme also allows participating startups to retain ownership of their intellectual property, giving them greater control over their proprietary technologies.
Solutions that prove successful in one department may also be considered for adoption by other government departments, creating opportunities for startups to expand their public-sector presence.
The initiative will focus on technologies that are ready for real-world deployment rather than early-stage research. Areas covered include AI, digital governance, healthcare, agriculture, education and mobility.
A three-level oversight mechanism comprising a Selection Committee, Technical Committee and Review Committee will oversee proposal selection, implementation, milestone verification and financial monitoring.
With a ₹25 crore outlay supporting around 100 startups over three years, the Government First Initiative establishes a structured route for deployment-ready technologies to be tested within government departments and, where successful, potentially move towards wider public procurement.
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