The Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), Mangaluru cluster, is organising “Mangaluru Technovanza-The emerging tech cluster” on Friday in the city to set the stage for the annual Bengaluru Tech Summit, scheduled from November 17 to 19, to attract global investors.

To be conducted in hybrid mode, the event aims at understanding the expectations of global industries in identified emerging sectors and to highlight the initiatives undertaken for the Mangaluru cluster towards this end. KDEM is working towards five focus areas — IT Products & Services, BPM & GCC promotion, Innovations & Start-ups, ESDM, Beyond Bengaluru, and and Talent Accelerator, said a release. The Beyond Bengaluru programme is spearheading the objective of proliferating the growth of digital economy in clusters beyond Bengaluru for select identified clusters in the State by developing and facilitating a product-based ecosystem.

Focus is on developing other cities — Mysuru, Huballi and Mangaluru — to develop them into homes for tech start-ups.

Friday’s event will be held at The Ocean Pearl, from 10.45 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.

While Aarian Capital Co-founder Chairman T.V. Mohandas Pai will deliver the keynote address on “Tech industry under New Normal – Potential for Mangalore”, Chairman of Vision Group on Information Technology Kris Gopalakrishnan, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Shobha Karandlaje, Karnataka IT & BT Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan and others will address the event at different times.

The event will host four panel discussions covering various themes across the sector. Those intending in-person may register at https://tinyurl.com/mlrTS and those intending to attend virtually, may register at https://tinyurl.com/MLRon- line.