Mohandas Pai pitches Mangaluru as next innovation hotspot: ‘25,000 techies, great beaches and food'

TV Mohandas Pai praised Mangaluru as India's next innovation hub, citing its talent, affordable living, and vibrant startup scene.

Former Infosys CFO and venture capitalist TV Mohandas Pai has hailed Mangaluru as the country’s next major innovation and startup hub, citing its growing talent base, affordable lifestyle, and vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem.

TV Mohandas Pai, chairman, Aarin Capital(HT Photo)

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Pai wrote, “Mangaluru is the next hotspot for innovation in India, great talent, very good quality of life, affordable housing, great schools, wonderful people, great food. Now unique workspaces to start off, 25,000 techies already. Great beaches, resorts, etc. GO FOR IT!”

Pai was responding to entrepreneur Amrit Shenava, who had shared a detailed post about Mangaluru’s expanding startup ecosystem. Shenava noted that many Mangaloreans were keen to return to their hometown to build startups, calling the city a “rising Silicon Beach” of Karnataka.

Shenava highlighted key organisations driving the change:

@TiEMangaluru — the local chapter of TiE Global that connects entrepreneurs and hosts mixers and startup events.

@karnatakadem (KDEM) — which bridges the gap between government and industry and organises initiatives like Mangaluru Blue (a startup pitch competition) and Mangaluru Technovanza (a tech and business conference).

@itssiliconbeach, an initiative helping companies set up offices in the coastal region, aiming to make Mangaluru a tech-friendly city.

How did X users react?

Pai’s post has sparked a wave of reactions from entrepreneurs and tech enthusiasts, many agreeing with his optimism.

“I echo your sentiments on this! Already trying to do something in the ecosystem,” one user wrote. Another added, “It’s a good idea, entrepreneurs move and set examples.”

However, some cautioned that urban infrastructure in Mangaluru must keep pace with its growth. “The city is close to its limits; we should avoid becoming another Bengaluru in terms of traffic and congestion,” a user commented.