Government Of Karnataka Launches Keo — India’s Most Affordable, Compact And Ai-Ready Personal Computer

Highlights:

• The 28th edition of Asia’s largest technology event to open tomorrow at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC)
• Ten conference tracks aligned with the “Futurise” theme, featuring 100+ sessions, 500+ global speakers, 1000+ exhibitors, 15,000+ attendees, and 50,000+ business visitors from 60+ countries
• BTS is making a shift from iconic Bangalore Palace to BIEC, marking a significant scale-up for the summit and aligning with Karnataka’s Deep Tech Decade ambition
• Dedicated zones for Corporates, Start-ups, R&D (Lab-to-Market), Country Pavilions, and sectoral showcases across AI & Deeptech, Electro-Semicon, Biotech & HealthTech, Greentech, SpaceTech, and more
• Three new policies to be announced this year at BTS 2025 -IT Policy, Startup Policy, and Spacetech Policy
• Star attraction of the event includes the Future Makers Conclave, star speakers including Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, Sania Mirza, Ankur Warikoo, Richa Ghosh, and Kaivalya Vohra

Bengaluru, 17th November 2025:

The pre-event curtain raiser was graced by  Priyank Kharge, Hon’ble Minister for Information Technology, Biotechnology and Rural Development & Panchayat Raj, Government of Karnataka;  Sharath Kumar Bache Gowda, Chairman, KEONICS, Government of Karnataka; Dr. Manjula N, IAS, Secretary to Government, Department of Electronics, IT, Bt & S&T, Government of Karnataka; and   Rahul Sharanappa Sankanur, IAS, Director, Dept. of Electronics, IT & Bt and Managing Director, KITS, Government of Karnataka.

Speaking at the curtain raiser, Kharge said, “We are glad to reaffirm that the Bengaluru Tech Summit has grown into a truly global innovation platform, fostering discovery and development across the entire technology spectrum — right from information technology and biotechnology to deep tech, space, and sustainability.”

The Minister also said that this year, the Government of Karnataka has envisaged and organized The Future Makers Conclave at the BTS. This will be a high-energy gathering of founders, investors and innovators, almost 10,000 of them, who will shape the next wave of entrepreneurship. “The Conclave is a flagship meet that aims at delivering highly tangible and definite value for all participants from the start-up ecosystem — budding entrepreneurs, early-stage founders, seasoned entrepreneurs — who are looking to scale up. IT will ensure that every attendee leaves with concrete key takeaways, whether in capital access, pilots, business tools, mentoring, visibility, or networks,” he said.

Government Of Karnataka Launches Keo — India’s Most Affordable, Compact And Ai-Ready Personal Computer

A product aimed at making intelligent, affordable computing accessible at the grassroots and empowering citizens across Karnataka.

Bengaluru, 17th November, 2025–

The Department of Electronics, IT & BT, Government of Karnataka, in collaboration with KEONICS, today launched KEO, a compact, affordable, AI-ready personal computer designed and developed entirely in Karnataka to bridge the state’s digital access gap.

Fewer than 10% of Indian households own a computer, and Karnataka stands at only 15%, far below the needs of modern education and digital livelihoods. While smartphones are widespread, studies show that computers are essential for academic work, coding, online classes and hybrid learning. Over 60% of Indian students reported being unable to participate in online learning due to the lack of a device, directly contributing to higher dropout rates.

KEO (stands for Knowledge-driven, Economical, Open-source) is Karnataka’s answer to this challenge. Built on an open-source RISC-V processor with a Linux-based OS, KEO offers a full computing experience at an accessible price point. It features 4G, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, USB-A and USB-C ports, HDMI, and audio jack support and comes fully loaded with learning, programming and productivity tools.

KEO includes an on-device AI core, enabling AI to run locally without internet access. It comes preloaded with BUDDH, an AI agent trained on the Karnataka DSERT syllabus to assist students even in low-connectivity regions.

The KEO device will be formally unveiled by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Karnataka during the inaugural ceremony of the Bengaluru Tech Summit. Following the launch, KEO will be showcased to the public throughout the Summit, allowing students, startups, industry leaders and visitors to experience the device firsthand and understand its role in enabling mass-affordable, AI-ready computing across the state.

Announcing the launch,Priyank Kharge, Minister for Electronics, IT & BT, said:

“KEO is Karnataka’s practical answer to the digital divide. It is not a luxury device, it is an inclusion device. Affordable mass computing will allow every student, every small business and every household to participate fully in the digital economy.”

 Sharath Kumar Bache Gowda, Chairman, KEONICS, said:“KEONICS is leaning into its legacy and mission of driving electronics innovation. By adopting an open-source RISC-V stack, KEO strengthens Karnataka’s commitment to accessible, locally adaptable, home-grown computing solutions.”

KEO will be deployed across schools, universities, small businesses, government offices and homes, creating direct pathways for digital learning, skilling and entrepreneurship. It forms a core pillar of Karnataka’s mission to build decentralized tech growth across all districts and ensure equal digital opportunity for every citizen.