Marking another landmark in its 105-year legacy, the Sona Valliappa Group, one of South India’s most respected names in education and business, has announced the launch of the Sona Centre for Advanced Learning & Entrepreneurship (SCALE) with the launch of its official logo. Envisioned as a first-of-its-kind integrated campus, SCALE will bring together academic institutions and industry players under one roof to foster skilling, innovation, and entrepreneurship aligned with global industry needs.
The announcement was made by Thyagu Valliappa, Founder of SCALE and a fourth-generation entrepreneur, at Sona Towers—an iconic location that hosted India’s first Global Capability Centre (GCC) established by Texas Instruments in the 1980s. The event was attended by senior industry leaders and key policy stakeholders.
Speaking on the occasion Thyagu Valliappa said that SCALE has been designed to equip India’s talent with global competitiveness. With GCCs, advanced manufacturing organisations, and deep-tech companies increasingly viewing India as a hub for innovation-led growth, SCALE aims to bridge the gap between education and industry through immersive, hands-on learning. Students and professionals will gain real-world exposure via hot labs, direct leadership interactions, and a structured Periodic Assessment Test (PAT) framework, where strong performance can lead to enhanced pay opportunities.
SCALE will offer a diverse portfolio of programmes supported by over 50 industry MoUs and 15+ Centres of Excellence, developed in collaboration with leading global brands, industry partners, and government bodies. Through its partnership with the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), SCALE plans to work closely with the Government of Karnataka to upskill more than 3,000 young engineers across the state. Training will be delivered by seasoned academicians and industry professionals, with a sharp focus on high-demand skills that significantly boost employability.
Positioned at the confluence of education, technology, and business, SCALE will house advanced learning programmes, industry-oriented finishing schools, a Business School, a Techno School, and startup incubation facilities within a single ecosystem. Built on the philosophy of “for the industry, by the industry, and to the industry,” the initiative underscores the Group’s commitment to creating sustainable pathways from learning to employment and entrepreneurship.
Over the past 68 years, the Sona Valliappa Group has enabled the creation of more than 100,000 jobs across diverse sectors and has forged enduring partnerships with leading organisations such as Capgemini, JSW, Dassault Systèmes, TCS, among others. Its strong emphasis on Industry 4.0, particularly in design engineering and 3D modelling through collaboration with Dassault Systèmes, has played a pivotal role in creating over 150 millionaires.
The Group will invest ₹150 crore in developing the SCALE campus at Bidadi, near Bengaluru, strategically located about an hour from Mysuru, allowing both cities to benefit from the initiative. Situated within a well-established industrial corridor, the campus will feature cutting-edge hot labs, innovation and learning spaces, and a 2,500-bed residential facility, offering a fully immersive learning environment.
As part of its long-term vision, SCALE plans to build a robust partnership ecosystem by signing more than 50 MoUs across technology, manufacturing, GCCs, and allied sectors. These collaborations will enable experiential learning, live industry projects, applied research, and mentorship from senior industry leaders.
The first cohort of 120 students will commence training in January 2026, with the campus expected to be operational by May–June 2026. The inaugural batch will comprise students from Sona College of Management, who will undergo intensive industry immersion, engaging with 7–8 companies to gain exposure to organisational processes, manufacturing environments, and interactions with CEOs and top leadership teams.
The launch of SCALE represents a defining chapter in the Sona Valliappa Group’s journey from textiles to technology, reaffirming its legacy of pioneering industry-linked education and building future-ready learning ecosystems for India and the world.
