Bengaluru’s tech workforce crosses 1 million, ranks among top 12 global hubs

With a tech workforce that has now crossed the 1 million mark, Bengaluru stands out as the largest tech talent market in the Asia-Pacific region.

Bengaluru has cemented its position as one of the world’s leading technology hubs, joining the ranks of cities like San Francisco, New York, and London, as per CBRE’s newly released Global Tech Talent Guidebook 2025, news agency PTI report.

According to CBRE, Bengaluru is not just growing fast, it’s setting benchmarks.

According to the report, with a tech workforce that has now crossed the 1 million mark, the city stands out as the largest tech talent market in the Asia-Pacific region.

The guidebook, which evaluates 115 global markets based on talent availability, quality, and cost, categorises cities into Powerhouse, Established, and Emerging tech markets. Bengaluru was named among the 12 Powerhouse markets, alongside Beijing, Boston, London, Paris, Singapore, Tokyo, and others, the report added.

According to CBRE, Bengaluru is not just growing fast, it’s setting benchmarks. The city leads India in AI-related talent and has been likened to top US clusters like the San Francisco Bay Area and New York for its deep pool of AI professionals.

Anshuman Magazine, Chairman & CEO of CBRE for India, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, credited the rise to India’s growing expertise in digital innovation and its vast, ready talent pool. “Bengaluru’s emergence as a global tech powerhouse reflects India’s strategic depth in digital innovation, AI, and talent readiness,” he said.

The city also ranks fourth among global tech hubs for its share of working-age population (75.5 per cent), and saw a 2.4 per cent rise in this segment between 2019 and 2024, one of the highest globally.

CBRE highlighted that Bengaluru’s robust startup ecosystem, home to 28 unicorns, benefits from progressive business regulations and institutional backing. Leading universities and a high concentration of Global Capability Centres (GCCs) are fuelling a steady supply of tech talent skilled in data science, engineering, product development, and AI.

Between 2018 and 2023, Bengaluru recorded a 12 per cent increase in tech employment, closely tracking global growth trends. Venture capital inflows have kept pace. In 2024, the city attracted 140 VC deals worth $3.3 billion—34 of them in AI.

Other Indian cities are also making strides. Delhi-NCR logged 183 VC deals totalling $1.9 billion (42 in AI), while Mumbai followed with 167 deals worth $4.9 billion, including 26 in AI. Jaipur and Ahmedabad, too, are being recognised as part of India’s diversifying tech ecosystem.

As the global demand for tech talent expands beyond traditional clusters, CBRE attributes Bengaluru’s sustained rise to favourable demographics, strong educational infrastructure, quality of life, and access to real estate and capital. With all these factors aligning, the city is poised to remain a central node in the global innovation network.

(With PTI inputs)