BLR Echoes - November'24
What we talk about when we talk about Bengaluru.
UnboxingBLR helps people understand and experience Bengaluru in newer and deeper ways.
How? Know more here.
BLR Echoes - our newsletter, curates a monthly package on Bengaluru events, interesting tidbits, and the many amazing things that UnboxingBLR is up to - all yours to unbox and discover!
The excitement this time of the year is at an all time high as we gear up for BLR Hubba 2024, but that’s a newsletter for next month ;) Until then, scroll to read all about UnboxingBLR at WCCF, and the response we’ve received for From Code to Culture’s latest episode :D
First things first - the Hubba is upon us! 🎊🥁
Are you keeping up with the flurry of posters, messages and event reminders about everything BLR Hubba on Instagram? If you’re feeling a little lost, check out the team’s curated itinerary between November 30 - December 15 below. Come say hi and join us in bringing Bengaluru’s largest arts and cultural celebration to the city 🥳
For no FOMO, log into blrhubba.in and book your tickets now ;) PS: Most of the events are free so come be a part of the magic this December ✨
The Month in Minutes: A recap of the last 30 days @UnboxingBLR
| Launch: Bengaluru Rising - UnboxingBLR’s Annual Data Report
Bengaluru is changing rapidly, but how fast paced is its growth across sectors? How does the Silicon Valley of the East compare to Indian metropolitan cities in terms of wealth creation, employment and economic growth? How does it benchmark globally?
With extensive data collected from multiple sources - government, regulatory, digital and satellite, UnboxingBLR is delighted to bring you yet another exciting city based project as the year comes to a close. An annual data report, Bengaluru Rising offers a fact-based, rounded understanding of the city’s growth, its challenges, and how it stacks up vis-a-vis other top Indian cities and global tech hubs.
On November 19, 2024, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah; Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar, and Minister for Information Technology; Priyank Kharge, along with UnboxingBLR co-founders Prashant Prakash and Malini Goyal launched Bengaluru Rising at the Bengaluru Tech Summit.
Excited to see our findings for Bengaluru across sectors and layers? Tap here to download a free copy of our data report and get reading :)
| From Code to Culture (FCTC) x Bangalore International Airport Limited ft. Hari Marar
This month, FCTC took forward its first ever social media collaboration with none other than the team at Bangalore International Airport Limited.
Hari Marar, CEO and MD of BIAL joined Malini Goyal in conversation for From Code to Culture’s latest episode and answered some FAQs about Bengaluru’s most famed infrastructural project — the Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru.
Are strategic partnerships with Uber, KSTDC, BLADE, and BMTC the secret to BIAL’s success? What will elevate Bengaluru to become an aviation hub like Dubai, Heathrow, or Hong Kong? How is the airport tackling sustainability amid reports of ‘Day Zero’ and a water crisis?
Don’t miss out! Catch part 1 of FCTC’s 5th episode below, and if you like it, show FCTC some love by subscribing to the channel 💌
UnboxingBLR @World Cities Culture Summit
The World Cities Culture Forum (WCCF), founded in 2012 by the Mayor of London, connects over 40 creative cities across six continents. The Forum fosters cultural exchange and aims to create equitable, prosperous, and sustainable communities, and hosts the World Culture Cities Summit, each year.
The pace at which Bengaluru is chasing development would have one huffing and puffing in seconds, however, it seems like the city is just warming up for the race. The statistics speak for themselves - Bengaluru has added over 1,400 startups to the city’s landscape over the past decade, ranked #6 in VC funding globally*, and is one of the only Indian cities out of 25 global cities of the future.** However, the city is not without challenges — in 2024, Bengaluru ranked 6th among the world’s most congested cities***, notorious for an alarmingly high people to vehicle ratio, and time-bending traffic jams.
For Bengalureans like myself - curious, excited, and frankly, a tad overwhelmed with the city’s rapid transformation, interacting with the city in all its limitations seemed to be the only way through which to connect with the city. Growing in leaps and bounds alongside India’s tech capital is its culture — an eclectic mix of food, art, and history, spurred by various individuals and organisations in the city who either aimed to preserve the city’s historic sites or draw attention to what was new and buzzy in the city. In my mind, culture was a way to grow old with the city, not just grow old in it.
In more ways than one, UnboxingBLR’s representation at WCCF, Dubai, hinted at the same - that culture is the golden thread that connects all levels of a city’s development. For two consecutive years, Bengaluru has been the only Indian city out of 40 cities represented at the WCCF by UnboxingBLR.
Malini Goyal and Brian Carvalho, CEO and COO of UnboxingBLR respectively, represented Bengaluru at the conference, using two very exciting lenses to look at culture in the city - Tech and Climate Change.
I was particularly excited when I heard what Malini was speaking about - the relationship between technology and restoring cultural heritage. At first glance, the two seem antithetical, however, on slightly deeper inspection, you’ll find they’re two sides of the same coin. Can technology help in connecting the past to the present without alienating people in the process? How is Augmented Reality changing the way in which this generation engages with its rich past?
“From catalysing the night economy to planning creative districts, and deploying technology to building a sustainable future - what are global cities thinking/worrying about? How are they trying to stay relevant as cities for their residents, and for the world?
The WCCF conference in Dubai offered a great platform for peer-level learning and helping people understand Bengaluru and UnboxingBLR better.” — Malini Goyal (CEO, UnboxingBLR)
Brian’s discussion on culture and climate change were inspired by UnboxingBLR’s initiative on home turf - Hubba in Your Park! An initiative to breathe life into parks and public spaces around the city, Hubba in Your Park (HYP) fosters both vibrant green spaces and strong connections between citizens and stakeholders, ensuring that parks remain accessible to everyone throughout the year.
A climate friendly future is built with local support at all levels - something HYP has been able to build through collaboration with the government, RWAs and HYP event partners. As a result of our rigorous engagement with societies and residents over the last months, eco consciousness is being slowly built into the city’s cultural fold.
Suddenly have the bug to check out your local park? Let us join you! Drop us a location recommendation in the comments below, and we might just organise a fun event there next year!
“Participating in the World Culture Cities Summit was an inspiring experience, with each delegate bringing unique perspectives from their diverse cities. Bengaluru's dynamic growth and spirit of innovation sparked immense interest, and we were proud to represent the city on this global stage.” — Brian Carvalho (COO, UnboxingBLR)
WCCF 2024 was held in Dubai; a fitting venue for a Forum like WCCF, given its rapid transformation into a global tech hub prioritising AI, fintech, and a digital economy. Other discussions over the 2 day Forum discussed the nighttime economy, building concert venues for the future and making public facing infrastructure more sustainable.
Hope you enjoyed this edition! Stay tuned for a BLR Hubba deep dive in December’s newsletter, we’ll catch you at the Hubba!
Warmly,
Team UnboxingBLR
** Source: Bengaluru Rising: https://unboxingblr.com/data-report/