By News Karnataka Editorial Team

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As the Knowledge Partner for the report, Xpheno join hands with KDEM and the Government of Karnataka to make the rich and diverse talent pool of “Silicon Beach” visible to Global Capability Centers (GCCs) across the world

The Talent Triangle Study of Udupi-Mangalore Cluster shows a total talent pool of over 310K, with 240K in the accessible active talent pool for recruitment

Mangaluru, 24 September 2025: Xpheno, a leading specialist staffing firm, in partnership with the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), today at the Technovanza 2025, released the ‘Silicon Beach Skills’ report, which provides a detailed overview of the talent Landscape of Udupi & Mangaluru Cluster. The report covers comprehensive analysis of Udupi-Mangaluru region’s emerging talent pool and its potential to drive growth in India’s digital economy. The objective of the report is to make the rich and diverse talent pool of “Silicon Beach” visible to Global Capability Centers (GCCs) across the world, promote the true potential for new businesses and harness the burgeoning talent landscape in the region.

The report was officially released in the presence of Shri Priyank Kharge, Hon’ble Minister for IT-BT and RDPR, Govt of Karnataka. Also present on the occasion were Shri B. V. Naidu, Chairman, KDEM, Shri Sanjeev Kumar Gupta, CEO, KDEM, along with prominent business leaders, entrepreneurs, and officials driving the Silicon Beach Program.

Speaking at the event, Hon’ble Minister Shri Priyank Kharge said, “Manipal, Udupi & Mangaluru clusters have massive potential for growth. As shown in the (Silicon Beach) Talent report, this region has a huge talent pool of 310k+ people, and we have to utilize them. We can make Mangaluru as the next Bengaluru.”

“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,” says Kamal Karanth, Co-founder of Xpheno. “Our analysis pinpoints current strengths and also areas needing attention to unlock the full potential of the region. Building a sustainable ecosystem that attracts and retains young talent is key to the success of the Silicon Beach initiative.”

“Karnataka is well set to emerge as the only Indian state with a time-tested Silicon Valley and a flourishing Silicon Beach. The State, now emerging as the GCC Capital of India, is a Global Talent Hub for both Tech & Non-Tech functions alike. After the GCCs, the Silicon Beach now holds the potential to be the next jewel in the crown for Karnataka.” adds, Karanth

As Knowledge Partner for the report, Xpheno leveraged its deep expertise in talent acquisition and market intelligence to contribute key insights and data to the report. The findings underscore the region’s strengths as a “Talent Triangle,” extending beyond the coastal stretch and encompassing a 310,000+ potential talent pool. However, it also highlights the need for strategic interventions to fully unlock its potential, as only 90,000 professionals currently possess more than one year of work experience.

Key highlights from the report, informed by Xpheno’s analysis, include:

Hotspots: Identification of Mangaluru (8K experienced professionals) and Udupi (19.7K experienced professionals) as primary talent hotspots, together representing nearly 75% of the region’s experienced workforce
Industry Concentration: Analysis reveals a concentration of talent in IT/ITES (3K professionals) and BFSI sectors (11.2K professionals)
Dominant Skills: Insight into the dominance of Programming (3K professionals), Finance & Accounting (14.7K professionals), and Business Skills (18.2K professionals) within the talent pool
Talent Outflow: Recognition of the challenge posed by talent outflow and the need for retention strategies, with a focus on addressing the 63% of the accessible talent pool that comprises freshers and entry-level professionals
Desirability among Talent: Highlights the growing interest from inbound job seekers, with 41% possessing 1-5 years of experience and 31% having 5-10 years. A significant 66% of inbound talent originates from Bengaluru, seeking opportunities in the region and the most inbound openings is in Engineering – Software & QA with 10%

The report is expected to serve as a valuable resource for businesses, policymakers, and educational institutions seeking to capitalize on the talent potential of the Udupi-Mangaluru region.

About Xpheno:

Xpheno is India’s largest specialist staffing company, headquartered in Bengaluru. It was founded in 2017 by recruitment industry veterans Kamal Karanth and Anil Ethanur to staff Greenfield GCCs.

Over the past 8 years, Xpheno has successfully recruited over 28,000 niche tech professionals for GCCs and large enterprises. The company has a strong presence in key cities with 325+ FTEs across India, including NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad, Udupi, and internationally in the United States.

Xpheno’s proprietary Skill_Speed_Scale_Price framework has played a vital role in the success of over 40 Greenfield GCCs set up in India in the last 2 years.

For more details – https://www.xpheno.com/

About KDEM:

The Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM) is a public-private partnership structured as a Section 8 not-for-profit company. With a unique ownership model (51% industry associations, 49% Government of Karnataka), KDEM operates “by the industry – for the industry” while maintaining government alignment. The board combines senior industry leaders with government officials, including all additional chief secretaries, creating a balanced leadership structure that ensures both market relevance and policy alignment.

KDEM focuses on five strategic areas: IT/ITeS and Global Capability Centres (GCCs); Innovation and Startups; Electronic System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM); Talent Accelerator; and the Beyond Bengaluru. The flagship “Beyond Bengaluru” initiative aims to decentralize tech growth by developing clusters in Mysuru, Mangaluru, Hubballi-Dharwad-Belagavi, and Kalaburagi, reducing concentration in Bengaluru and promoting balanced regional development