With a population of 1.43 billion in 2023¹, India is not only the world’s most populous country but also the largest democracy. Over the last few decades, India has experienced remarkable economic growth, with its GDP expanding rapidly. While significant regional economic disparities persist, India’s burgeoning services sector—accounting for 54.7% of its gross value added (GVA)—has cemented the country’s position as a global outsourcing hub, particularly in IT and software services.

Bengaluru, known as the Silicon Valley of India, has been at the forefront of this transformation, hosting some of the world’s largest software companies and fostering a dynamic innovation ecosystem. Against this backdrop, the EU-India Matchmaking Event, held on 19-21 November 2024, provided an ideal platform to connect European and Indian clusters, business support organisations and SMEs to explore opportunities for collaboration.

“Global trade, investment and partnerships are key sources of the European Union (EU) growth and resilience. The business matchmaking event here today also contributes to this. It creates partnerships along industrial value chains.” – said Mrs. Mariella Masselink, Head of Unit Industrial Forum, Alliances, Clusters, DG GROW, European Commission (video message).

A Convergence of Innovation and Opportunity

Jointly organised by the European Commission through the European Cluster Collaboration Platform (ECCP), in collaboration with Global Business Inroads (GBI), the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN), and the Government of Karnataka, the first-ever EU-India Matchmaking Event of the ECCP brought together 13 clusters and one SME from seven EU countries. Taking place alongside the Bengaluru Tech Summit (BTS) 2024, Asia’s largest tech conclave, the event harnessed the summit’s dynamic environment of 85+ sessions, 450+ speakers, and a multi-pavilion exhibition to drive cross-border partnerships.

The event’s first day began with participants attending the BTS, where they explored cutting-edge exhibition stands and engaged in bilateral meetings. The delegatoin attended together a standout session led by Mrs. Leena Pishe Thomas, Director of GBI, focused on "Sustainability: Enabling Tech Access and Innovation Procurement" in association with POSSPOLE.

“It was very heartening to hear European clusters express their enthusiasm for offering skilling programmes, including digital skilling initiatives, in partnership with Indian clusters to benefit Indian students and industry. I think there is a very strong roadmap,” – remarked Ms. L. P. Thomas.

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The European delegation later visited POSSPOLE headquarters, immersing themselves in a vibrant ecosystem with sectoral focuses spanning agriculture, healthcare, defence, and semiconductors.

“We know that Bangalore is traditionally recognised as one of the most advanced regions in semiconductor packaging and other parts of the supply chain. This opens up really exciting possibilities." – said Kristina Eskenazi, Co-founder of AI Cluster Bulgaria.

Strengthening Partnerships Through Dialogue

Day two kick started with over 120 pre-arranged bilateral meetings, underscoring the event’s focus on fostering tangible collaboration. “I would say around 95 % of the meetings were exactly what I came here for. I was also surprised that people came very well-prepared, with some already having concrete suggestions for collaboration.” – Diana Makauskaitė, International Marketing Manager, Miniskipas, Lithuania.

“I had so many meetings that I didn’t have at any other event. I had technical and business meetings and met many start-ups. I liked it a lot!” – Geru Marius, CEO & Co-Founder, OpenHub Galati, Romania.

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In the afternoon of the second day, the European delegation, led by Martina Bacova, Project Adviser at European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency, was welcomed by Mr. Priyank M. Kharge, Karnataka Minister for Information Technology, Biotechnology, and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Government of Karnataka. Discussions centred on a roadmap for future EU-Karnataka cluster collaborations, highlighting mutual potential in skilling, technology transfer, and R&D partnerships as pivotal areas of focus.

India’s industrial clusters can traditionally be found mainly in chemicals and petrochemicals, automobile and automobile components, drugs and pharmaceuticals and consumer appliance sectors. However, IT, software and green tech sectors are also forming their own significant clusters.

“Clusters represent learnings and services, offering solutions that can achieve access to the world's largest markets. I believe this is something we can definitely build on.” – stated Mr. Priyank M. Kharge.

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The delegation had the opportunity to present itself in a dedicated seminar titled “Building Bridges: Strengthening EU-India Collaboration through Clusters and Industry Associations”, where the EU and Indian clusters have participated in an engaging pitching session. Delegates from both sides, including representatives from Bangalore Bioinnovation Centre (BBC), ARTPARK (AI & Robotics Technology Park), and the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission, presented their sectoral strengths and explored avenues for long-term partnerships.

The day culminated with a networking dinner attended by nearly 75 participants, including a special delegation of start-ups and researchers from Swissnex, providing an informal setting to deepen connections.

Exploring Bengaluru’s Innovation Hubs

The event’s final day showcased Bengaluru’s unparalleled capacity for technological and industrial advancement through visits to its leading innovation hubs. At the NASSCOM Centre of Excellence for IoT & AI, delegates witnessed India’s Digital India campaign in action, focusing on the development of IoT, AI ecosystems, and critical technologies. At one of the sites visits the  Electronics City Industrial Township Authority (ELCITA)  demonstrated its remarkable transformation into a future-ready smart city, exemplifying dynamic governance and community-driven growth with sustainability at its core. A visit to the Bangalore Bioinnovation Centre (BBC) highlighted its renowned life science innovations, showcasing strong collaborations with academia to bring research to practical applications. At the International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore (IIITB), participants explored the facility’s contributions to public-private partnerships and regional research initiatives, offering insights into the successes achieved through collaborative efforts between academia and industry.

“When I was in Bengaluru four years ago, it was completely different. It's really accelerating with a strong international presence—not just in sourcing, but also in business collaboration, particularly with European markets.” – noted Anders Thomson, Managing Director, Indo-Nordic Innovation Cluster, Denmark.

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Laying the Foundation for Future Collaborations

The EU-India Matchmaking Event underscored the shared commitment of European and Indian stakeholders to build collaborative bridges across sectors such as Biotech, Digital, Green Tech, and Advanced Manufacturing. By leveraging Bengaluru’s thriving innovation ecosystem, the event laid the groundwork for impactful partnerships, reinforcing the EU’s role as India’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade in goods reaching €115 billion in 2022.

"For many of us, this is our first time in India, and we’ve experienced a wide range of impressions—from the sheer number of participants and ideas to the distinct working culture. It’s overwhelming in the best possible way and truly inspiring to witness how a country of contrasts transforms into a land of opportunities." — shared Andra Tanase, Senior Manager Strategic Planning, Transilvania IT Cluster, Romania.

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The EU-India Matchmaking Event has set the stage for a new era of transcontinental cooperation, unlocking opportunities for innovation and growth on both sides.

European Participants

Clusters:

ICONIC Cluster | Romania
AgroTransilvania Cluster | Romania
Transylvanian Furniture Cluster | Romania
Transilvania IT Cluster | Romania
Sustainable Infrastructure Cluster | Poland
Health & Life Sciences Cluster Bulgaria | Bulgaria
AI Cluster | Bulgaria
Castra | Bulgaria
Productech | Portugal
Transylvania Energy Cluster | Romania
Indo Nordic Innovation Cluster | Denmark
AQM Normandie | France
OpenHub | Romania

SME:
Miniskipas | Lithuania 

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¹World Bank information.

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