Bengaluru has officially cemented its place among the world’s top-tier technology cities, crossing the milestone of one million tech professionals and emerging as the largest tech talent hub in the Asia-Pacific, alongside Beijing and Shanghai, according to the CBRE Global Tech Talent Guidebook 2025.
The city now belongs to the coveted ‘Powerhouse’ category, a prestigious group of just 12 global tech centers including San Francisco, London, New York, and Tokyo. CBRE evaluated 115 cities worldwide, categorizing them as Powerhouse, Established, or Emerging based on talent quality, availability, and cost-effectiveness.
Bengaluru’s rise is attributed to its strong demographic foundation, robust academic institutions, flourishing startup ecosystem, and a growing focus on artificial intelligence (AI). Between 2018 and 2023, the city recorded a 12% increase in tech employment, outpacing many international counterparts.
Notably, 34 of Bengaluru’s $3.3 billion worth of venture capital (VC) deals in 2024 were focused on AI, signaling the city’s strategic role in global AI innovation.
“Bengaluru’s emergence as a global tech powerhouse reflects India’s strategic depth in digital innovation, AI, and talent readiness,” said Anshuman Magazine, CBRE’s Chairman and CEO for India, Southeast Asia, Middle East, and Africa.
The report highlights that 75.5% of Bengaluru’s population is of working age, ranking fourth among the powerhouse cities. The 2.4% growth in this demographic from 2019 to 2024 ensures a sustained supply of skilled talent.
Institutions like the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), top-tier engineering colleges, and a dense network of Global Capability Centres (GCCs) have strengthened the city's tech pipeline. Despite labour and real estate forming significant operating costs for non-manufacturing tech firms, Bengaluru remains attractive due to its high-skill, scalable, and cost-effective environment, especially for AI-driven and software-focused enterprises.
According to Ada Choi, CBRE’s Head of Research for Asia-Pacific, global companies are increasingly integrating Bengaluru into their long-term business and real estate strategies in their quest for AI talent.
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The report also reflects a wider national trend in India’s tech landscape. Delhi-NCR saw 183 VC deals worth $1.9 billion in 2024, with 42 of them centered on AI. The region is home to 15 unicorns and 16 IPO-ready firms. Meanwhile, Mumbai led the country with 167 deals totalling $4.9 billion, including 26 AI investments and 47 companies poised for public listing.
Beyond the metros, Ahmedabad is gaining traction thanks to the development of GIFT City, expected to host over 550 firms and boost white-collar employment. Jaipur, with its concentration of engineering colleges and low-cost operational base, is emerging as a preferred destination for startups focused on efficiency and scaling mid-market solutions.
India’s innovation map is clearly evolving—with Bengaluru at the helm, driving a new era of global tech leadership.
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