Bengaluru exhibits outstanding digital and engineering expertise: Düsseldorf Mayor

Bengaluru and Düsseldorf together can create a powerful platform for sustainable urban innovation, said Stephan Keller, Mayor of the German city Düsseldorf, during a fireside chat at Future ICT Forum 2026 in Bengaluru on Monday.

“Cities all over the world face very similar challenges, such as climate change, energy security, mobility, water, skilled labour… No city on earth can solve these issues alone. We need partnerships that combine different strengths. Bengaluru brings outstanding digital and engineering expertise, and Düsseldorf brings industrial scale, regulatory stability, and access to the European market,” he said.

Special partnership

A formal cooperation agreement was signed in 2023 between Karnataka and Düsseldorf to support start-ups, particularly in the fields of Industry 4.0, digital health, and sustainability.

Terming it a very special partnership, Mr. Keller said, “It connects start-ups, corporates, talent institutions and political decision makers on both sides.”

“Indian start-ups use Düsseldorf as a soft-landing platform into Germany and Europe, while German companies expand their innovation and production activities in Karnataka. This creates trust, continuity and real economic value for both,” Mr. Keller said.

Mr. Keller further added that Indian companies make a very concrete contribution to making German cities smarter and more sustainable, especially through digital innovation.

He noted the growing presence of Indian students at Düsseldorf’s EUREF-Talent-Campus, where master’s programmes focus on climate innovation and the hydrogen economy, strengthening long-term talent and knowledge links between the two regions.

Talent exchange focus

Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Keller highlighted the innovation capabilities, vibrant start-up ecosystem and talent pool of Bengaluru.

“We’re working together strongly on the exchange of skilled labour. For the last two years, we’ve been working to make it easier for Indian talents to work in Germany. We have also been trying to make it easier for Indian start-ups to settle in the European market,” he said, adding that one of the aims going forward would be to facilitate exchange of talent.

“We want to make it easier for people to move back and forth. We also want to see Indian start-ups settling in Düsseldorf and starting their growth, and from their growing to the European market,” he said.