Speakers at the Kolkata curtain raiser event / Courtesy Photo

Confluence 2027, a landmark global initiative, was officially unveiled Aug. 3 at the CII–Suresh Neotia Centre of Excellence for Leadership in Kolkata, marking the launch of the Bengal–Silicon Valley Innovation Corridor.

The initiative seeks to bridge Bengal’s entrepreneurial, academic, and research ecosystems with Silicon Valley's technology, capital, and global networks—establishing a premier platform for innovation-driven growth and international collaboration.

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The announcement was made by Rahul Roy—founder & chairman of Confluence 2027 and a Silicon Valley-based entrepreneur—along with prominent industry leaders, including Harshavardhan Neotia (chairman, Ambuja Neotia Group), Utsav Parekh (corporate director & chairman, SMIFS Capital Markets), Subhankar Sen (chairman, Senco Gold & Senco Group), R.S. Goenka (founder & joint chairman, Emami Group), Subrata Gupta, IAS (Retd) (advisor to the Chief Minister of West Bengal), Satyam Roychowdhury (founder & managing director, Techno India Group), Manoshi Roy Chowdhury (co-founder, Techno India Group), and Ritwik Das (industry chair, BNCCI). 

Together, they collectively unveiled a strategic vision to position Bengal as a globally connected destination for innovation and investment. Scheduled to take place from April 9–11, 2027, at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center, California, Confluence 2027 will bring together global leaders across AI, technology, healthcare, venture capital, entrepreneurship and policymaking to foster cross-border partnerships, investment and knowledge exchange.

Speaking on the occasion, Rahul Roy said, “Confluence 2027 is more than a summit; it is a platform to connect Bengal with the world’s leading innovation ecosystem and create lasting opportunities for entrepreneurs, investors and innovators.” 

During the announcement, the organisers introduced Build Bengal, the founding initiative of Confluence, which seeks to reconnect Bengal’s talent, startups and academic institutions with Silicon Valley’s investment, expertise and global networks. 

The platform is built on three core pillars—Capital, Builders and Philanthropy—to strengthen entrepreneurship, foster cross-border collaborations and create long-term economic impact. 

Confluence has been envisioned as a multi-forum global platform featuring dedicated tracks on Capital, Vertical, Vital and Eternal, bringing together founders, investors, engineers, healthcare leaders, policymakers and entrepreneurs through keynote sessions, investment forums, startup showcases and curated networking opportunities.

“Roy is a seasoned serial entrepreneur who has founded several successful IT-enabled organizations in Silicon Valley. Now, he has a strong desire to reconnect with Bengal. Having visited Silicon Valley over the past two years and witnessed the massive shifts in technology, I feel we have a lot of catching up to do locally,” Harshavardhan Neotia, chairman, Ambuja Neotia Group said.

“The upcoming conference next year won’t just feature local entrepreneurs from Bengal—it will also host many tech founders based in the Bay Area. It will serve as a premier platform to learn, engage in meaningful dialogue, and foster partnerships. Additionally, for those seeking funding, numerous angel investors will be present.”

“Launching an initiative of this scale is no small feat, and I recognize the tremendous hard work by Roy that is going into bringing everyone together and managing the logistics. I believe all of us here today have been invited by him not only to showcase our companies, but also to highlight the progress, positive changes, and growing opportunities in West Bengal,” Neotia added.

The Confluence2027 initiative will drive long-term ecosystem development through flagship programmes, including the Bengal Startups Showcase, Startup Hub Kolkata, and the proposed Bengal Angel Network, while fostering strategic collaborations with leading academic and research institutions.

Recognizing Artificial Intelligence as a primary engine for future growth, the summit will centre on AI, software, healthcare, education, deep technology, and policy. Through Confluence 2027, organizers aim to build a lasting bridge between Bengal and Silicon Valley—catalyzing investment, innovation, and global partnerships that elevate West Bengal's standing in the worldwide technology landscape.

Discover more at New India Abroad.