Mangaluru, Sept 24: Coastal Karnataka’s white-collar talent ecosystem is expanding rapidly beyond Bengaluru, with the region’s potential talent pool crossing 2.8 lakh and growing 17% over the past year, according to a new report by staffing firm Xpheno.

The findings were released at the sixth edition of Mangaluru Technovanza at the Dr TMA Pai International Convention Centre here on Wednesday. The Silicon Beach Skills – Annual Edition 2 report, prepared by Xpheno in partnership with the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), maps the emerging technology talent landscape of the Mangaluru-Udupi cluster and its potential to attract global capability centres (GCCs) and other technology-driven businesses.

The report describes coastal Karnataka as an evolving “Silicon Beach” cluster and identifies a wider “Talent Triangle” with a potential workforce of more than 2,80,000. However, it points to a significant experience gap: only around 1,05,000 professionals in the talent pool currently have more than one year of work experience.

The report comes amid growing efforts by the Karnataka government to promote technology and business activity beyond Bengaluru. It highlights the Mangaluru-Udupi region’s educational institutions, talent base and quality of life as factors that could help attract and retain skilled professionals and encourage companies to establish operations along the coast.

The study also seeks to make the region’s talent pool more visible to global employers, particularly GCCs looking to expand into emerging technology clusters. Xpheno contributed talent-market intelligence and insights based on its experience in recruitment and talent acquisition.

“Xpheno has been at the forefront of enabling talent access for Greenfield GCCs in India, and this partnership with KDEM allows us to further contribute to the growth of Karnataka’s digital ecosystem,” said Kamal Karanth, co-founder, Xpheno.

KDEM chairman BV Naidu said Mangaluru was emerging as an important technology and innovation cluster in Karnataka, supported by its educational institutions and quality of life.

“The region is proving that world-class institutions and an exceptional quality of life can together attract and retain global talent. KDEM is leveraging this momentum to unlock new investment corridors along the coast,” he said.

KDEM CEO Sanjeev Kumar Gupta said the focus would now be on connecting the region’s experienced professionals with industry and investment opportunities, particularly as demand for AI-related skills grows.

“We are building skilling pathways, anchoring companies, and strengthening the cluster from the ground up. Execution is what matters, and the coast is where that discipline is beginning to show,” he said.

The findings were presented as Mangaluru seeks to position itself as a distinct technology and business destination rather than replicate established hubs such as Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

At a separate session at Mangaluru Technovanza, industry leaders said the city would need to build specialised capabilities in areas where it already has strengths to attract GCC investments. They identified sectors such as healthcare, tourism and marine biology as potential areas in which Mangaluru could develop a distinctive proposition.