Goa is looking beyond its traditional tourism identity and opening its doors to start-ups, technology firms and remote workers as the state bets on innovation-led industries to emerge as the next growth engine for its coastal economy.

Speaking exclusively to Business Today on the sidelines of Goa Shackathon—a two-day event aimed at encouraging start-ups and remote workers to build and operate from Goa—IT and Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte said the state is consciously building new economic verticals around AI, start-ups and digital nomads while preserving Goa’s cultural identity and quality of life.

“Tourism will always remain the key industry,” Khaunte said. “What we are complementing and doing is trying to open another vertical for the economy.” He pointed out that Goa cannot afford to depend on a single sector, especially after mining, once a major contributor to the state economy, shrank significantly over the years.

The state’s strategy is centred around what the minister calls the “Work From Goa” model — a blend of tourism, technology and lifestyle-led economic development. According to Khaunte, the government wants to attract start-up founders, AI professionals, designers and remote workers seeking a better quality of life outside crowded metros such as Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

The smallest state in the country with a projected population size of nearly 1.6 million, has nearly 800 DPIIT-recognised start-ups, including over 250 women-led; Khaunte said that start-ups’ patents related to drones, air taxis and other emerging technologies are being developed out of Goa for global markets, with innovators in the state working on research and innovation for the world.

From start-ups such as Wakao Foods, which is headquartered in Goa, to founders like Pranay Gupta of coworking space start-up 91Springboard and Mohit Dubey of mobility platform Chalo, several entrepreneurs have either shifted base or expanded operations in the state. Aerospace start-up Sarla Aviation, which is developing electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, has also established its R&D base in Goa after signing a MoU with the state government.

While the government has not disclosed exact investment figures, officials said support through start-up policies, innovation hubs and institutional backing is already underway to strengthen the ecosystem.

Goa is also preparing to finalise its AI policy by June-end, becoming one of the early states to formalise a framework around artificial intelligence. Khaunte said the policy has been shaped through consultations with industry and academia rather than being “government-driven”.

The state is simultaneously trying to expand tourism beyond beaches into areas such as spirituality, sports, heritage, culinary and adventure tourism. Alongside, the government is pushing long-stay tourism and digital nomad infrastructure through homestays, co-working spaces and rural tourism initiatives.

Khaunte said the government is already working with homestay operators and platforms such as Airbnb to create infrastructure suited for long-duration stays. “We are creating a very healthy environment for you to work for a long term, feel the Goan culinary, feel the Goan culture,” he said.

However, unlike Bengaluru or Hyderabad, Goa is not looking to become a mass-scale technology hub. The minister stressed that the state wants “sustainable models” of growth that do not strain infrastructure or damage local culture.

“We wouldn’t want to be in those spaces what other states are doing,” Khaunte said, referring to urban congestion challenges in larger tech hubs. “We are looking at the right people to come and contribute, whether it is a start-up, a creative community or Industry 4.0.”

While Goa’s ambitions of building a start-up- and remote work-led economy are gaining traction, the vision will also require significant infrastructure development, stronger private capital participation and sustained policy support. From improving digital connectivity and co-working infrastructure to attracting long-term investments and start-up incentives, the state still has a long road ahead in transforming itself into a viable technology and innovation hub alongside tourism.

Khaunte, however, said the government is already working towards strengthening the ecosystem, particularly around connectivity and remote-working infrastructure. “By the coming season, providing high-speed internet connectivity along with the necessary infrastructure and support for remote working is well within our ambit, and that is something we are actively looking at,” he said.

Published on: May 22, 2026 4:17 PM IST