KLE CTIE Unveils RiNK Initiative to Propel North Karnataka as Emerging Tech Hub Through Talent Homecoming and Business Enablement
The KLE Centre for Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship (KLE CTIE), in strategic partnership with Mundhe Banni and Avantro Labs, proudly announces the launch of the RiNK Initiative – Rise in North Karnataka. This transformative program reverses talent migration by facilitating tech professionals' return from metros and enabling GCCs, startups, and enterprises to scale in North Karnataka. Unveiled at the Mundhe Banni Startup Meetup at KLE Technological University (KLETU), Hubballi, the event drew over 230 entrepreneurs, founders, investors, and innovators from Hubballi, Dharwad, Belagavi, and beyond.
The full-day program featured a Venture Capital panel moderated by Mr. Vasant Shetty (Mundhe Banni Founder), with Mr. Vinod Shankar (Java Capital) and Mr. Nihal Shetty (Rainmatter, Zerodha) sharing funding insights, plus Mr. Raffic Aslam's (ex-Zoho) brand storytelling masterclass. Robust Q&A and networking highlighted demand for tier-2 accessible resources.
Welcome Address by Dr. Prakash Tewari, Vice Chancellor, KLETU:
Dr. Tewari welcomed guests including Pro Chancellor Dr. Ashok Shettar, emphasizing Mundhe Banni's mission to empower 100,000 Karnataka entrepreneurs and create 1 million jobs by shifting from risk aversion to awareness. He addressed North Karnataka's connection gaps, tier-2 funding challenges (12% pre-seed success, 2% Series A), and Sankalp Semiconductor's success spawning 10+ VLSI firms and 1,000 professionals in Hubballi. "Universities must enable ambition through bridges like CTiE and Mundhe Banni," he urged students: "Start with what you have; entrepreneurship is courage, persistence, and community."
Keynote by Mr. Vasant Shetty, Founder, Mundhe Banni:
"Today, 230+ gather to launch RiNK, bridging metro talent home via 'The True North – NK: Relocate. Reconnect. Reboot' with job matching and support. Businesses get 'Join The RiNK' at 40-60% lower costs. Powered by Mundhe Banni—register at risenk.com and build big in namma ooru!"
Vision by Dr. Ashok Shettar, Pro Chancellor, KLETU:
Highlighting 8-10K annual graduates, Mangalore's 8,000-job Homecoming (95% return interest), Infosys's 1,000+ Hubballi employees and AI center, HCLTech's $25M Sankalp acquisition, and iMerit's growth, Dr. Shettar positioned RiNK as the seamless pathway: "Live better, build big from namma ooru."
Distinguished Guests:
- Dr. Ashok Shettar, Pro Chancellor, KLE Technological University
- Dr. Prakash Tewari, Vice Chancellor, KLE Technological University
- Shri N. Shashi Kumar, IPS, Police Commissioner, Hubballi-Dharwad
- Shri Devaraj R, Senior KAS Officer, NHAI, Dharwad
- Mr. Vinod Shankar, Co-Founder & Partner, Java Capital
- Mr. Nihal Shetty, Investment Team, Rainmatter, Zerodha
- Mr. Vasant Shetty, Founder, Mundhe Banni
- Dr. Vinayak Hosamani, Director, KLE CTIE
- Mr. Chethan Shettar, Founder, Avantro Labs
RiNK Programs: The True North – NK: Job matching, housing/schooling support, mentorship for returning professionals
Join The RiNK:Incubation, talent pipelines, compliance/investor aid at 40-60% cost savings
Mundhe Banni drives cultural change with podcasts (500K+ views), 9 webinars (2,500 participants), and communities targeting ?12,000-20,000 crore impact. Register at **https://risenk.com/**