Nokia Corporation, one of the world’s leading telecommunications tech companies, has expressed interest in establishing a global capability centre and additional research centres in Karnataka, Minister M B Patil said on Friday.
Nokia, which has had a long-standing presence in the state for over 25 years and operates its largest global research centre in Bengaluru, has held discussions on expanding its operations across the state, including in tier-2 cities, he said.
During meetings with senior Nokia officials on the sidelines of the ongoing World Economic Forum (WEF) summit in Davos, the state government assured full support for the company’s future expansion plans, Patil said in a statement.
1 January 2026
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The minister also reiterated the state government’s commitment to supporting the World Economic Forum’s ‘Yes–BLR UpLink’ initiative, which aims to develop the ‘Yes Bengaluru’ programme on sustainable urban development into a globally recognised platform for government-industry collaboration.
The industries minister said the initiative was discussed in detail during a meeting with John Dutton, Head of UpLink at the World Economic Forum.
"The initiative provides financial assistance, mentorship and pilot opportunities to start-ups working on real-world, city-centric challenges and contributing to urban development. The WEF UpLink delegation has appreciated the Karnataka Government’s continued support for the programme," he said.
According to the minister, discussions were also held with global cybersecurity major Cloudflare regarding its potential participation in the ‘KWIN City’ project and future expansion opportunities in the state.
Proposed between Dabaspet and Doddaballapur, ‘KWIN City’ is envisioned as a smart, sustainable ecosystem aimed at attracting global talent while driving entrepreneurship and economic growth.
The state government assured the necessary support for Cloudflare’s expansion plans.
Cloudflare’s Global Strategy Head, Stephanie Cohen, described Karnataka as one of the "world’s best destinations for attracting advanced technologies," Patil added.
The minister further said that US-based space technology company Vast Space has expressed interest in partnering with the state government in areas related to space technology, advanced manufacturing and innovation-driven initiatives.
UAE-based multinational business group Crescent Enterprises has also shown interest in investing in enterprises and companies across the state, he added.
Patil said US-based aerospace firm Voyager Technologies has expressed a strong interest in entering into a partnership agreement with the state government and has also proposed collaboration with ISRO on space technology and research initiatives.
During a meeting with Voyager Technologies Executive Vice-President John Baum, possibilities for expanding operations in Karnataka’s biopharma sector were also discussed, the minister said.
