About Karthik Kittu

  • Karthik has held key leadership roles across government, innovation, and entrepreneurship ecosystems. He most recently worked as the Chief of Staff to the Chairman of the Startup Vision Group, Government of Karnataka. He was also part of the Founding team of OneTAC (www.onetac.org) powered by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India which is building a Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) to transform the experience and entertainment industry across Tourism, Art, and Culture. He was a part of the founding team of Karnataka Digital Economy Mission, driving startup ecosystem development and rural (inclusive) innovation. As Chief Innovation Officer at IIIT Bangalore, he established and led the Government of India’s TIDE 2.0 Program under the Ministry of Electronics & IT at the IIITB Innovation Centre. He conceptualised and set up the IIIT Dharwad Research Park and was the first Chief Innovation Officer.
  • Karthik played a key role as a core-committee member of the Regional Ecosystem for Technical Excellence (RETE) Development Committee, contributing to the identification of colleges across districts in Karnataka to be developed into institutions of excellence, with a strong emphasis on high standards in teaching, research, and extension activities.
  • As a core team member of the National Incubator Capacity Development Program, Karthik contributed to the conceptualization and operationalization of this joint initiative by DPIIT and Invest India. The program identified and supported the top 25 incubators in the country, showcasing his ability to drive impactful national programs.
  • He was part of the core team that designed three comprehensive compendiums of National Schemes and Incentives, focusing on the development and promotion of India’s startup incubation landscape, incentives for startups, and procurement policies for startups under DPIIT.
  • In his role as Co-Lead for the Incubator/Accelerator Pavilion and Track at Startup Mahakumbh, Karthik played an instrumental role in conceptualizing, designing, and executing activities within the pavilion, including sessions, roundtables, and panel discussions. His efforts helped ensure the participation of over 200 incubators, 360 startups, 17 government departments, and attracted approximately 34,000 attendees.
  • He also helped identify public procurement from startups, particularly those funded under government schemes, as a key area for further action. His discussions within the Atal Innovation Mission team contributed to this agenda being included in the AIM 2.0 scope. Karthik was part of the team that developed the Startup 20 Communique, providing valuable inputs to shape this significant document for the Startup India and G20 (Startup 20) Secretariat, Government of India.
  • As Program Director of the Namma Smaraka Program, Karthik co-led this initiative by the Department of Archaeology, Heritage, and Museums, Government of Karnataka. The program focused on conserving and showcasing Karnataka’s cultural heritage and historic landmarks, where he led operations and fostered connections to raise awareness and funding for preservation efforts.
  • Additionally, as the Head of Strategic Relations and Public Relations for UnboxingBLR Habba 2023, an eleven-day festival celebrating history, films, art, food, and culture, Karthik served as the liaison with various government departments, ensuring seamless coordination and the successful execution of the event.
  • Amidst his work schedules he also completed the Advanced Management Program in Public Policy from the Indian School of Business, graduating in April 2024.
  • Karthik Co-founded Natanam Charitable Trust and serves as its Hon. Secretary to nurture and propagate the timeless traditions of teaching, practising, and performing ancient Indian art forms while leveraging digitization and AI to foster innovative interpretations of performing arts, music, mythology, and other cultural expressions, making them more accessible, engaging, and relevant to contemporary and future audiences.
  • Born and raised in Hannover, Germany, Karthik later moved to Bangalore, India, where he pursued his education in a state medium school and earned degrees in Science (B.Sc), Arts (M.A. Psychology), and Management (PGDBA). He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, London, and a member of the Information Systems Audit and Control Association, USA.
  • His contributions extend to critical policy and crisis response initiatives, having served as a member of the Chief Minister of Karnataka’s War Room on COVID-19.
  • On the global stage, he has represented India on various high-profile delegations, including the CII Startup Mission to the United States, where he was invited to the White House in December 2017. He was also part of a Cyber Security Delegation to Israel and an invitee to the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office National Cyber Bureau in 2015. Additionally, he represented India at the Commonwealth Asia Alliance of Young Entrepreneurs in Brunei (2014) and served on the Executive Council of CII Young Indians from 2014 to 2020, where he led entrepreneurship and innovation initiatives from 2017 to 2019.
  • A passionate leader in youth development, Karthik has been actively involved with Rotaract, the youth wing of Rotary International, for over two decades (2001-2021). He served as the President of Rotaract South Asia in 2010-11 and later as Chairman Emeritus (2011-2014), playing a pivotal role in expanding the organization from just eight members in 2010 to over 130,000 across eight countries and 40+ Rotary districts by 2021. His contributions also led to his appointment to the Rotary International Rotaract and Interact Committee (2016-2019), where he played a key role in planning the Rotaract Conventions in Atlanta (2017), Toronto (2018), and Hamburg (2019). He was an invited speaker at Rotary International Conventions in New Orleans (2011), Bangkok (2012), Toronto (2018), and Hamburg (2019), where he shared insights on service projects and global learnings.
  • Karthik has also contributed to India’s cybersecurity landscape, serving as a member of the National Cyber Security Task Force, constituted by NASSCOM & DSCI as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He was the lead for TED India 2009’s Network & Information Security setup and served as a Traffic Warden with the Bangalore City Traffic Police from 2013 to 2016.

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Mobile: +91 98864 84042 |  E: karthikkittu@gmail.com