Axis Bank & BITS Pilani Launch ₹100 Cr Deep-Tech Research Park in Hyderabad to Drive Affordable Healthcare Innovation

Axis Bank, one of the largest private sector banks in India, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani, an Institution of Eminence, to establish the Axis Bank–BITS Industry Research, Technology & Innovation Park at the BITS Pilani Hyderabad Campus. This collaboration, with a ₹100 crore CSR marks a significant step towards strengthening India’s deep-tech and translational research ecosystem by creating an integrated launchpad for facilitating deeper industry-academia collaboration, driving innovation and entrepreneurship.

With a focus on Life Sciences, Biopharma, healthcare and medical devices, the proposed Axis Bank–BITS Industry Research, Technology & Innovation Park at the Hyderabad campus is being developed as a dedicated platform to strengthen India’s innovation ecosystem, with a focus on enabling cost-effective healthcare solutions that benefit the public at large. The Park's location in Hyderabad places it at the heart of Telangana's thriving life sciences corridor, anchored by Genome Valley. By embedding academia-led biopharma and deep-tech capabilities within this ecosystem, the partnership supports national priorities for affordable healthcare, translational research, and self-reliance in critical technologies under the Government of India’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Make in India’ initiatives.

Under the partnership, BITS Pilani shall guide the Research Park’s governance and research agenda, while Axis Bank shall support its infrastructure development.

Spread across approximately 120,000 sq. ft., the Axis Bank–BITS Industry Research, Technology & Innovation Park shall house laboratories, incubation spaces, and diverse shared facilities under one roof, especially supporting innovators from academia, startups and MSME domains through structured partnerships, co-design and co-creation of projects. This will support technology transfer and IP management, and provide ready access to BITS Pilani’s academic expertise and talent.

Mr. Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chancellor, BITS Pilani, said, “The partnership between BITS Pilani and Axis Bank is exactly the kind of forward-looking collaboration India needs to build stronger innovation systems. The Research Park will help BITS Pilani deepen its work in cutting-edge research and entrepreneurship, while also contributing to solutions that can make a meaningful difference to society. It is encouraging to see academic and industry leaders come together with a shared commitment to research, talent development and lasting national impact.”

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Amitabh Chaudhry, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Axis Bank, said, “At Axis Bank, we believe that the future of inclusive and sustainable progress lies at the intersection of knowledge, innovation, and purpose. Our collaboration with BITS Pilani resonates strongly with our organizational ethos and our commitment to nurturing ecosystems that can solve real-world challenges. As institutions, we share a collective vision of building conscientious leaders equipped with knowledge and the unwavering resolve to make a difference.”

Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao, Vice-Chancellor, BITS Pilani, said, “This MoU represents a powerful alignment of vision between academia and industry. At BITS Pilani, we have always believed that the future of higher education lies in creating ecosystems that are interdisciplinary, research-intensive, and deeply connected to society and industry. The Axis Bank–BITS Research Park will help us build precisely such an ecosystem, one that supports faculty-led innovation, nurtures doctoral research, accelerates translation, and prepares our students to solve complex problems at scale.”

The MoU signing ceremony held in Mumbai brought together leaders from both the organisations around a shared goal of turning ideas into impact and strengthening the bridge between research and industry.

PULSUS to Scale ₹500 Cr Ameenpur AI Healthcare Hub, Supreme Court Clearance Paves Way for 6,000 Jobs

• Supreme Court grants PULSUS Ameenpur project ITeS Park and SEZ status
• Pulsus Group has reaffirmed its commitment to creating 6,000 direct jobs and indirect employment of 30,000 jobs at the ₹500 crore Ameenpur IT Park

PULSUS Group has announced plans to expand its Ameenpur AI Healthcare and Digital Innovation Hub, targeting a workforce of 6,000 direct and 30,000 indirect jobs as it scales operations at the 35-acre campus in Telangana.

The move follows a Supreme Court ruling that upheld the project's IT/ITeS and SEZ status, clearing the way for accelerated development and fresh investment. Pulsus said the decision provides the certainty needed to advance its plans in artificial intelligence, healthcare technology and digital services.

PULSUS is backing its expansion plans with a proven employment record. Parliamentary records under the India BPO Promotion Scheme show that Omics International part of Pulsus Group, generated 2,836 direct jobs by March 2022 and achieved the target of creating 6,000 jobs in Visakhapatnam, while supporting an estimated 30,000 indirect jobs. The records also recognize the company's Ameenpur operations, where employment has created about 1,500 of the 6,000 direct jobs.

With the legal status recently received from the Supreme Court, PULSUS has fast-tracked plans to scale the ₹500 crore Ameenpur campus into a major AI healthcare and digital services hub and increase its workforce to 6,000.

The Ameenpur project, located near Miyapur, was envisioned as a hub for technology and employment generation. Despite delays caused by legal and regulatory challenges, we remained committed to this vision. With the project now gaining ITES-SEZ status, our goal is to accelerate efforts to establish one of Telangana's leading AI Healthcare and Digital Innovation campuses, creating more than 6,000 high-quality jobs for engineers, healthcare professionals, researchers, and digital specialists. – Dr. Gedela Srinubabu, CEO, Pulsus Group.

For Telangana, the project represents another investment in sectors where the state has built a strong presence, particularly information technology, life sciences, healthcare innovation and Global Capability Centres (GCCs). The location near the Miyapur growth corridor is expected to strengthen the region's technology ecosystem while creating employment opportunities for graduates and skilled professionals.

Beyond employment generation, PULSUS plans to collaborate with universities, research institutions, healthcare organizations, startups and technology companies to develop an ecosystem supporting innovation, research and global service delivery.

The AI Healthcare hub is expected to drive demand for highly skilled professionals, including software engineers, AI specialists, healthcare data scientists, clinical research associates, bioinformatics experts and digital services professionals.

Industry analysts view the convergence of artificial intelligence and healthcare as one of the fastest-growing segments within the global technology market, with increasing demand for data-driven healthcare solutions, research support services and digital health infrastructure.

About PULSUS Group

Pulsus Group, through its global publishing, scientific conference, healthcare information, and technology businesses, serves researchers, healthcare professionals, academic institutions, and industry stakeholders worldwide. The Group’s operations span scientific publishing, healthcare technology, artificial intelligence, digital services, and international knowledge-sharing platforms.

AGC Launches AAPI Innovation Hub at IIT Hyderabad to Drive India–Japan Digital Transformation and Talent Collaboration

• AGC Asia Pacific India inaugurates AAPI Innovation Hub at IIT Hyderabad Technology Research Park.
• Collaboration to focus on Digital Transformation (DX), Artificial Intelligence, internships, and joint research initiatives.
• Initiative strengthens India–Japan innovation partnership and global industry–academia collaboration.

AGC Asia Pacific India Pvt. Ltd. (AAPI), a group company of Japan-based AGC Inc., inaugurated its AAPI Innovation Hub at the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH) Technology Research Park (TRP) on Thursday, marking a significant step toward strengthening India–Japan collaboration in digital technologies, innovation, and talent development.

The inauguration ceremony, held at the TRP, IIT Hyderabad, was attended by senior representatives from AGC Inc., AGC Asia Pacific India, IIT Hyderabad, researchers, faculty members, and industry leaders. Key dignitaries included Prof. B S Murty, Director, IIT Hyderabad; Mr. Kenichi Takemura, Representative Managing Director, AGC Asia Pacific India Pvt. Ltd.; and Mr. Iwakura, General Manager, Digital & Innovation Management Division, AGC Inc.

The newly established AAPI Innovation Hub aims to promote industry–academia collaboration and support the development of Digital Transformation (DX) talent by creating opportunities for internships, collaborative research, and innovation-driven engagements between AGC and IITH students and researchers.

AGC has identified India as a strategic region for advancing Digital Transformation (DX) due to its strong ecosystem of highly skilled Engineering and digital talent. Through the Innovation Hub, AGC plans to work closely with IITH in areas including Artificial Intelligence (AI), digital technologies, advanced engineering solutions, and practical industry-oriented research initiatives.

The collaboration builds upon the existing relationship between AGC Asia Pacific India and IITH, particularly in internship programs and AI-related joint research initiatives. The establishment of the Innovation Hub is expected to further strengthen long-term strategic collaboration and contribute toward global innovation projects involving AGC teams across Japan, Europe, and other international locations.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof. B S Murty, Director, IITH, said: “The establishment of the AAPI Innovation Hub at IITH reflects the growing importance of global industry–academia partnerships in driving future technologies and innovation. IITH has consistently focused on translational research, digital technologies, and interdisciplinary innovation, and this collaboration with AGC will create meaningful opportunities for our students, researchers, and faculty to work on real-world global challenges as innovations, research & collaborations in addition to academia are inextricable objectives of our Institute whose purpose is to make indelible impact towards the better Society which is underway. We are happy to strengthen this India–Japan partnership through innovation, research, and talent development.”

Mr. Iwakura, GM of Digital & Innovation Management Div. at AGC, shares during the ceremony, “Starting from a single sheet of flat glass, AGC's materials have continually transformed to meet the needs of each era. To continue creating future materials, the wisdom and talent of IIT Hyderabad's professors and students are essential. AAPI Innovation Hub as a place of co-creation: The Hub is described not merely as a physical room, but as a space where the bright minds of IIT Hyderabad and AGC engineers will collaborate daily—sharing ideas and building prototypes together.”

The AAPI Innovation Hub forms part of AGC Group’s broader global Digital Transformation (DX) strategy under its mid-term management vision, AGC plus-2026, which focuses on integrating digital technologies with manufacturing expertise and fostering globally connected innovation ecosystems.

The initiative further reinforces IIT Hyderabad’s growing position as a hub for international R&D partnerships, deep-tech innovation, and industry-driven research collaborations. With its strong ecosystem of Startups, advanced research centers, and interdisciplinary programs, IITH continues to attract global companies seeking collaborative innovation and talent engagement opportunities in India.

About AGC Group:

AGC Inc., headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a global leader in glass, chemicals, ceramics, electronics, and advanced high-tech materials. With operations in nearly 30 countries and a workforce of around 56,000 employees worldwide, the AGC Group is recognized for its century-long legacy of technological innovation and advanced manufacturing solutions.

IITH, established in 2008, has reached a respectable position in academics, research, technology development, and Start-ups in a short span of 17+ years. In the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF-2025), IITH is ranked 7th among Engineering institutes (crossing a first-generation IIT this year), and is ranked 6th in Innovation, while it has maintained its rank within the top 10 Engineering Institutes ever since NIRF was launched. IITH is ranked 664th and 270th in the QS World and Asian University Rankings 2026, respectively (among the top 10% of global institutions in citations per faculty). IITH has recorded a major leap in the QS World University Rankings 2026 by Subject, entering the global Top 400 in Engineering & Technology with a rank of 395, marking a sharp improvement from the 501–550 band in 2025. IITH secured 46 positions by 31 faculties in the Stanford /Elsevier Global Top 2% Scientists list 2025 across two categories. IITH has been striving for excellence with a motto of "Inventing & Innovating in Technology for Humanity (IITH)".

With 340+ full-time Faculty, 360+ non-teaching Staff and 5,720+ Students (PG+PhD students accounting for about 60%), IITH has a strong research focus with 5550+ R&D Projects worth of Rs. 1780 Cr (Rs. 245+ Cr funding in 2025-26), 13,580+ Publications, 2,71,100+ Citations, 161 h-index, 745 Patents (250 Patents in 2025, i.e., 0.75 patents per faculty in 2025, making it possibly the best Indian institute in terms of patents filed per faculty in a year), and about 290 Start-ups (that have generated 1100+ jobs with a revenue of Rs. 1500+ Cr).

The thrust areas of research at IITH are: next-generation telecommunications, autonomous navigation, robotics & intelligent systems, semiconductors & devices, additive manufacturing, advanced materials & critical minerals, materials characterisation, catalysis, healthcare, energy, sustainability, climate change, smart mobility, EV technology, quantum technologies, computational engineering, design, AR/VR, waste management, and rural development.

Dai Nippon Printing Co. Opens First India R&D Centre at IIT Hyderabad to Advance EV Power Transfer and API Innovation

• Joint research to focus on wireless power transfer systems for EVs and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs)
• Facility established at IITH Technology Research Park (TRP) to accelerate industry–academia collaboration
• Initiative to drive commercialisation of advanced technologies for India and global markets

Dai Nippon Printing Co. Ltd. (DNP) inaugurated its first Research & Development (R&D) centre in India at the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH), marking its second overseas R&D base globally. Located at the IITH Technology Research Park (TRP), the centre will focus on advancing joint research in electric mobility and healthcare, while strengthening India–Japan innovation collaboration and accelerating the development and commercialization of next-generation technologies.

The inauguration ceremony witnessed the presence of key dignitaries and representatives from academia, industry, and government, including Mr. Muneo Takahashi, Consul General of Japan; Mr. Osamu Nakamura, Senior Managing Director, DNP; and Prof. B S Murty, Director, IITH, along with senior representatives from Japanese organisations and partner institutions.

The newly established centre will drive joint research initiatives between IITH and DNP in priority areas such as wireless power transfer systems for electric vehicles (EVs) and development of synthesis routes for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs)—both critical to sustainable mobility and affordable healthcare.

Located within the IITH TRP, the facility is designed to enable seamless collaboration between academia and industry, combining IITH’s research strengths and talent ecosystem with DNP’s advanced technological capabilities to accelerate innovation and real-world implementation.

Hyderabad’s emergence as a hub for Mobility innovation, Pharmaceuticals, Semiconductors, and Advanced Manufacturing further strengthens the strategic relevance of this collaboration, with potential to expand into Middle East and African markets.

In the mobility domain, the centre will focus on the design, development, and demonstration of wireless power transfer systems for EVs, while in healthcare, it will advance process development and scalable synthesis of APIs, enabling faster translation from research to manufacturing and global deployment.

Prof. B S Murty, Director, IIT Hyderabad, said, "The inauguration of DNP’s R&D centre at IITH marks an important step in strengthening global industry–academia collaboration. This partnership brings together cutting-edge industrial technology and academic research to address critical challenges in mobility and healthcare. It also reinforces the role of IITH as a hub for translational research and innovation aligned with national priorities and global needs.”

Senior Managing Director Osamu Nakamura, DNP said, "As DNP marks its 150th anniversary, establishing this new R&D Centre at IIT Hyderabad is important for us to create future standards. Here, we will learn IIT Hyderabad’s expertise and combine it with DNP’s strengths to create new businesses in India, starting with mobility and healthcare. We look forward to strengthening a long-term partnership and contributing to the growing relationship between India and Japan.”

The collaboration is expected to further promote talent development, knowledge exchange, and joint innovation programs, offering students and researchers opportunities to work on globally relevant technologies, while deepening the India–Japan partnership in research and technology.

With this initiative, IIT Hyderabad continues to expand its Technology Research Park ecosystem, attracting leading global companies and enabling a collaborative environment that bridges research, development, and commercialization.

About DNP:

Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. (DNP), established in 1876, is a leading global company that leverages print-based and advanced material technologies to create innovative solutions across diverse sectors. The company has strong expertise in microfabrication and precision coating technologies, enabling it to serve industries such as electronics, display technologies, optical films, mobility, and healthcare, while contributing to sustainability and global innovation.

About IITH:

IITH, established in 2008, has reached a respectable position in academics, research, technology development, and Start-ups in a short span of 17+ years. In the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF-2025), IITH is ranked 7th among Engineering institutes (crossing a first-generation IIT this year), and is ranked 6th in Innovation, while it has maintained its rank within the top 10 Engineering Institutes ever since NIRF was launched. IITH is ranked 664th and 270th in the QS World and Asian University Rankings 2026, respectively (among the top 10% of global institutions in citations per faculty). IITH has recorded a major leap in the QS World University Rankings 2026 by Subject, entering the global Top 400 in Engineering & Technology with a rank of 395, marking a sharp improvement from the 501–550 band in 2025. IITH secured 46 positions by 31 faculties in the Stanford /Elsevier Global Top 2% Scientists list 2025 across two categories. IITH has been striving for excellence with a motto of "Inventing & Innovating in Technology for Humanity (IITH)".

With 340+ full-time Faculty, 360+ non-teaching Staff and 5,720+ Students (PG+PhD students accounting for about 60%), IITH has a strong research focus with 5470+ R&D Projects worth of Rs. 1770 Cr (Rs. 245+ Cr funding in 2025-26), 13,300+ Publications, 2,64,400+ Citations, 160 h-index, 730 Patents (250 Patents in 2025, i.e., 0.75 patents per faculty in 2025, making it possibly the best Indian institute in terms of patents filed per faculty in a year), and about 280+ Start-ups (that have generated 1100+ jobs with a revenue of Rs. 1500+ Cr).

UST and Evaaya Launch Nimbus to Transform GCCs into Global Value Organizations

• Unique new offering strengthens UST’s position as a leader in building and scaling Global Capability Centers

UST, a leading AI and technology transformation solutions company, has joined hands with Global Capability Center (GCC) advisory firm Evaaya to launch UST Nimbus, a design-led operating model that enables Global Capability Centers to move beyond execution and become Global Value Organizations. Under UST Nimbus, GCCs are designed from day one to drive innovation, digital transformation, and measurable business outcomes.

The launch of UST Nimbus comes as GCCs (Global Capability Centers) continue to evolve from cost-efficiency models into enterprise innovation hubs, meaning that organizations are under increasing pressure to reduce costs while accelerating innovation and retaining control of talent and intellectual property. This innovative new offering meets these needs by complementing UST’s strengths in engineering, AI, and execution at scale, allowing UST Nimbus to deliver a complete build–operate–scale approach.

While many GCC providers focus on accessing talent at scale or enabling infrastructure and setup, UST Nimbus builds a bespoke, practitioner-led, and design-driven model built by leaders who have run and scaled GCCs. By aligning the GCC’s unique identity and culture with the enterprise from day one, UST Nimbus creates hubs that enable high-performance teams, improve retention, and accelerate delivery outcomes.

Within UST Nimbus, the talent of each organization is treated as a key competitive advantage, using careful workforce planning and strong employer branding to attract and retain top talent for long-term success. Under this approach, innovation and expertise stay within the company, as GCCs build and keep intellectual property, data models, and platforms that reduce dependency on fragmented vendors while also accelerating product and platform development.

UST Nimbus’ talent-first approach is powered by practitioner-led design that is grounded in real-world GCC operating experience and AI-driven talent strategies to enable faster ramp-up and stronger engagement with employees. The result is a GCC that evolves into a magnet for critical skills and serves as a sustained engine for innovation and enterprise value.

“At UST, our first-hand experience scaling global teams gives us the insight required to solve critical issues and deliver sustainable transformation through a design-first, full-stack delivery model. UST Nimbus reflects a shift in how GCCs are built, transforming them from cost-saving centers to strategic engines of innovation, IP creation, and enterprise value. It brings together UST’s expertise in scaling global teams with a design-led, full-stack approach to building, operating, and continuously optimizing GCCs for long-term performance. With this model, organizations can move faster, retain critical capabilities, and continuously innovate at scale, delivering lasting value across the enterprise,” said Bharath Krishnaswamy, Senior Vice President, UST.

“UST and Evaaya are committed to leveraging our unique strengths to build resilient, innovation-driven GCC solutions that deliver lasting business value. While many GCC models prioritize setup and scale, our focus is on the factors which determine long-term success for the GCC, including operation, integration with the enterprise, and sustained value delivery. By shifting the focus to strategic alignment and value generation, this joint offering delivers measurable impact and empowers clients,” said Vaidyanathan Seshan, EVP and Founder, Evaaya.

About UST

Since 1999, UST has worked side by side with the world's best companies to make a powerful impact through transformation. Powered by technology, driven by AI, inspired by people, and led by our purpose, we partner with our clients from design to operation. Our AI-driven digital solutions, proprietary platforms, engineering, R&D, products, and innovation ecosystem turn core challenges into impactful, disruptive solutions. With deep industry knowledge and a future-ready mindset, we infuse expertise, innovation, and agility into our clients' organizations—delivering measurable value and positive lasting change for them, their customers, and communities around the world. Together, with 30,000+ employees in 30+ countries, we build for boundless impact—touching billions of lives in the process. Visit us at www.UST.com.

Tata Elxsi and Bayer Unveil Radiology Development Centre to Fast-Track Diagnostic Innovation

Tata Elxsi, a global leader in design and technology services, today announced the inauguration of the ‘Bayer Development Centre in Radiology’ at Tata Elxsi, Pune, India. The centre is designed to co-develop with Bayer, a leader in key areas of Radiology, advanced radiology devices and technology that enable early and accurate diagnosis and treatment of critical illnesses, supporting Bayer’s global mission to bring innovative, safe, and compliant solutions to patients and clinical staff worldwide.

This centre will provide a wide range of engineering for complex radiology devices, with an initial focus on Molecular Imaging. The facility’s integrated approach, which combines design, development, and validation, the centre will help accelerate time-to-market, enhance cost efficiency, and help deliver new technology to market fast, efficiently, and at an optimized cost, while meeting highest regulatory compliance standards.

This collaboration leverages Tata Elxsi’s healthcare engineering expertise and the strength of the Tata and India ecosystems—enabling access to advanced labs, regulatory partnerships, and specialised technology talent. This creates a scalable foundation for innovation and strengthens Bayer’s ability to deliver radiology solutions across multiple geographies, including the US and EU.

Dr. Konstanze Diefenbach, Head of Research & Development, Radiology, Bayer, commented: “Bayer is committed to innovative products and high-quality services in diagnostic imaging, and device innovation plays a critical role in delivering precision and safety in patient care. This new centre gives us direct access to specialised engineering capabilities through Tata Elxsi, enabling us to accelerate our pipeline of advanced radiology devices while maintaining the quality and reliability that healthcare providers expect from Bayer.”

Sreevatsa Sahasranaman, Sr. Vice President & Head – Healthcare & Life Sciences, Tata Elxsi, said, “This centre is more than an engineering hub—it is where Bayer’s radiology vision meets Tata Elxsi’s design, AI/ML, and regulatory expertise. Our teams will work together to translate ideas into devices that address real-world diagnostic challenges, with the assurance of safety, compliance, and global scalability.”

About Tata Elxsi

Tata Elxsi is a global design and technology services company headquartered in Bangalore. It addresses the healthcare, automotive, broadcast, and communications consumer electronics industries. This is supported by a network of design studios, development centres, and offices worldwide. Tata Elxsi's Healthcare & Life Sciences practice is ISO 13485 certified and collaborates with prominent medical device and pharmaceutical OEMs, as well as technology companies. With a comprehensive services and solutions portfolio, Tata Elxsi adds value at every stage of the customer's product development lifecycle. Recognised as a leader in technology consulting, new product design, development, verification & validation, as well as regulatory compliance services, Tata Elxsi is a trusted name in the industry. For more information, visit tataelxsi.com

Vodafone Idea and IBM Launch AI Innovation Hub to Transform Telecom Operations and Accelerate Digital Delivery

Vodafone Idea (Vi) has made a strategic collaboration with IBM to revolutionize its telecom operations through artificial intelligence (AI) and automation. The partnership marks a significant milestone in Vi’s digital transformation journey, aimed at streamlining operations, enhancing service reliability, and accelerating the delivery of next-generation digital services.

AI Innovation Hub: The Core of the Transformation

At the heart of this initiative is the newly launched AI Innovation Hub, a joint endeavor between Vi and IBM Consulting. The Hub is designed to continuously modernize Vi’s IT and business processes by co-creating:

• AI-powered automation tools
• Digital accelerators for faster service deployment
• Advanced DevOps solutions infused with AI

The Innovation Hub will serve as a collaborative space where experts from both organizations will develop and deploy cutting-edge technologies to improve operational efficiency and customer experience.

Unified DevOps Execution Model

Vi is also implementing a unified DevOps execution model, powered by automation and AI. This model aims to:

• Accelerate software development cycles
• Improve service reliability and uptime
• Enhance agility across IT and network operations

By integrating AI into its DevOps workflows, Vi seeks to create a more responsive and resilient digital infrastructure—critical for supporting India’s rapidly evolving telecom landscape and the rollout of 5G services.

Jagbir Singh, Chief Technology Officer at Vi, emphasized the strategic importance of the partnership:

This marks a pivotal milestone in Vi’s digital journey. The AI Innovation Hub will set new benchmarks for the telecom industry and help us deliver superior customer experiences.

Juhi McClelland, Managing Partner of IBM Consulting, Asia Pacific, added:

Vi’s AI Innovation Hub is a testament to the power of co-creation. Together, we’re building a future-ready digital foundation that leverages IBM’s industry-leading AI capabilities.

Long-Term Vision

The collaboration builds on a 17-year relationship between Vi and IBM, now evolving into a managed services model focused on AI, automation, and digital resilience. The initiative aligns with broader industry trends, as telecom providers increasingly adopt AI to manage surging data volumes, optimize networks, and personalize customer engagement.

Industry Context

India’s telecom sector is undergoing rapid transformation, driven by rising data consumption, 5G deployment, and digital inclusion efforts. Strategic partnerships like Vi–IBM are expected to play a crucial role in shaping the next phase of telecom innovation.

TCS' 1st Pace Studio in the Nordic Region Launched in Stockholm, Sweden

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has announced the launch of the latest TCS Pace Studio in Stockholm, Sweden to offer its customers in the Nordic region exclusive access to its innovation ecosystem. The state-of-the-art innovation hub and research centre will enable enterprises to explore the latest advancements in technology and deploy them at scale to accelerate their digital transformation journeys.

The TCS Pace Studio Stockholm is located in the Epicenter House of Innovation, a hub for over 600 technology companies and entrepreneurs. This location allows TCS to engage with the business problems and goals of the local environment. TCS Pace Studios are tailored for growth markets with vibrant innovation ecosystems.

“We are thrilled to welcome TCS Pace Studio into the Epicenter community," said Oskar Gillström, Country Manager, Epicenter Stockholm. “TCS’ new space is an excellent representation of our mission as an innovation house to fuel the collaboration between enterprises and future-focused leaders in the Swedish business environment.”

The TCS Pace Studio in Stockholm, which is the fourth globally and first in the Nordic region, joins the expansive innovation ecosystem of TCS Pace™ spread across key cities worldwide. The TCS PaceTM network includes three other TCS Pace Studios located in Riyadh, Sydney, and Letterkenny, and seven TCS Pace Ports in Tokyo, Amsterdam, New York, Pittsburgh, Toronto, London, and Paris.

The innovation hubs in the TCS PaceTM network leverage TCS’ unique methodologies, global insights, research, intellectual property, and its Co-Innovation Network (COIN™), which fosters collaboration among local startups, entrepreneurs, and academia. These collaborative environments offer enterprises a dedicated space to work with TCS’ skilled team of experts, facilitating the rapid development and launch of new digital products and services at speed and scale.

Dr. Harrick Vin, Chief Technology Officer at TCS said, “TCS Pace Studio represents our continued commitment to create co-innovation facilities in close proximity to our customers. The TCS Pace Studio at Stockholm will enable Swedish organisations to collaborate with TCS’ research and innovation ecosystem to develop novel solutions across a vast range of disciplines, at speed and scale.”

The aim of a TCS Pace Studio is to nurture a start-up culture, acting as an agile incubator that solves problems and creates opportunities for businesses. The new Stockholm TCS Pace Studio will offer clients end-to-end innovation capabilities, including consulting, design, and implementation, enabling TCS’ customers in the region to explore, build new propositions, create demos, and refine their models and strategies.

TCS’ investment in Sweden underscores its dedication to supporting the Swedish business and technology ecosystem, contributing to the country’ vision of sustainability leadership and technology innovation. Sweden was ranked 2nd in the world for innovation in Wipo’s 2023 Global Innovation Index Opens in new tab, making Stockholm the ideal location for the new TCS Pace Studio.

“Sweden is one of Europe’s fastest growing business environments with a long lineage of innovation and investments in technology. Establishing our TCS Pace Studio in Stockholm represents our commitment to meaningfully contribute to regional and Nordic business growth and economic prosperity,” said Shreerang Talekar, Head of TCS in Sweden and the Nordics. “We are excited to be a part of this thriving innovation ecosystem and co-create solutions with new and sustainable technologies that drive growth, resilience and create perpetual adaptability in enterprises."

The new TCS Pace Studio in Stockholm bolsters TCS’ presence in the Nordic region, where it has had a strong foothold since 1991. Currently, over 20,000 TCS employees support leading enterprises in Sweden, Finland, Norway, and Denmark, driving growth and transformation for some of the region’s top multinationals in sectors such as BFSI, Telecom, and Hi-Tech.

Additionally, TCS has ranked #1 in customer satisfaction for 15 consecutive years by an independent survey and has also been recognized as a Top Employer in Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark by the Top Employers Institute.

TCS Opens 9,000 Sq Ft Innovation Hub Pace Port™ in London

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) (BSE: 532540, NSE: TCS) has announced the opening of its new Pace Port™, a dedicated innovation hub in the heart of London that aims to drive and accelerate innovation-led growth in the United Kingdom while helping businesses bring innovation to life.

TCS Pace Port™ London is a 9,000 sq ft innovation hub that opened in early 2024 in Bishopsgate, London. The innovation hub is intended to promote business and technology collaboration with clients, academics, and startups. The hub aims to drive research and cutting-edge technology for economic growth.

Pace Ports are intended for co-innovation with clients and the larger ecosystem. They offer solutions designed with emerging technologies such as: Artificial intelligence (AI), Machine learning (ML), Internet of things (IoT), and Advanced analytics.

Leveraging TCS's extensive expertise in technology-based business transformation, the London innovation hub will serve as a catalyst for the adoption of innovation-led solutions. This will include emerging technologies that will empower businesses in the UK to navigate a volatile marketplace, address evolving business needs, and drive growth. The Pace Port will focus on innovation across a cross-section of industries, government priorities and critical national infrastructure while creating an ecosystem of experiences.

London is the sixth Pace Port to open in TCS’ global Pace network as the Company also has Pace Ports in Amsterdam and Tokyo. Amsterdam's Pace Port accelerates digital transformation and helps organizations focus on their business needs. Tokyo's Pace Port provides consulting, design, and implementation of digital services for organizations inside and outside Japan.

Amit Kapur, Head of UK & Ireland at TCS commented: “UK businesses are committed to investing in technology and digital solutions to transform their business and operating models. Bringing our global network of Pace Ports to London will provide an environment that fosters collaboration, drives innovation, and helps businesses in the UK harness cutting-edge technology, collaborate and grow across industry borders into ecosystem models. Establishing the TCS Pace Port London in the heart of the city reflects TCS’s unwavering commitment to fueling innovation, catalyzing and contributing to the economic growth of the United Kingdom.”

A key emerging technology for many businesses is Artificial Intelligence (AI), and TCS is already advising businesses in the UK and Ireland on adoption strategies. In a recent TCS survey of 100+ corporates in the UK and Ireland, two-fifths (41%) of UK and Irish businesses are largely AI-driven already or well-positioned to accommodate and leverage AI's capabilities and benefits. With more than a third (37%) of UK and Irish executives predicting their workforce will interact with Generative AI daily in the next three years, the need to have a strategic approach to AI is becoming urgent. As a co-innovation hub, our London Pace Port will give businesses in the UK the right tools and expertise to create a refined digital and AI strategy and support the UK government’s vision Opens in new tab of being a front-runner in the AI race while accelerating innovation-led growth in the region.

“Enterprises across industries are looking for ways to quickly adopt AI and Gen AI to enhance their competitive differentiation. At such a time, they need a partner who has a deep understanding of this technology and the right infrastructure to help them find new use cases, experiment, and implement the best PoCs at scale to make the most of this trend,” said Marc Hardwick, Senior Research Director, TechMarketView. “TCS aims to bring its deep competence in AI along with other next-gen technologies at its new Pace Port in London. Interestingly, TCS is setting up the center to be a hub for co-innovation not only with clients but also with the larger ecosystem – academia, start-ups and technology companies. Pace Port should be a huge positive for TCS’ customers, helping them drive innovation at scale and more, more consistently.”

“Our state-of-the-art Pace Port London will foster a collaborative ecosystem through TCS’ IP, technology expertise and Co-Innovation Network (COIN™) spanning multiple disciplines including experts from the start-up, research and academia in the UK that will help co-innovate and co-create solutions for UK businesses,” said Harrick Vin, Chief Technology Officer, TCS. Pace Port London is the next step in our continued effort to help our clients innovate at speed and scale.

TCS’ global Pace™ innovation methodologies, Research, Intellectual Property, Co-Innovation Network, and skilled team of experts will support organizations in the region to bring innovations to life and launch new digital products and services at speed and scale. The innovation hub will help businesses in the UK explore the future, build scenarios and new propositions, improve innovation capabilities, design improved customer experiences, create new offerings, explore ecosystem business models, deliver AI and Generative AI projects, create innovation strategies, and sharpen innovation operating models.

Department of Sci & Tech to set up Technology Innovation Hub for DATA Driven Technologies at IIIT-H

International Institute of Information Technology (IIITH) has been selected by National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems to set up a Technology Innovation Hub (TIH) on Data Driven Technologies with a funding of 110 crore from Department of Science and Technology (DST).

IIITH was the only institution outside of the IITs and IISc in the initial list of 17 selected TIHs. The Hub will play a pivotal role in developing and promoting data-driven technologies and artificial intelligence/machine learning across the country.

TIH-Data, a Section-8 company will be a single point source for all data driven technologies on mobility, healthcare, systems, buildings, and India-specific problems. It will support projects in the domain areas of TIH to academic, R&D institutions and industry and other funding agencies, participate in international projects, support student start-ups and support incubatees as well as initiate international collaborative projects.

Even as the hub setup is still underway, a special initiative around COVID-19 has already started at the institute. As part of the RAKSHAK effort by DST, a project to curate and compile data sets that can be used to address COVID-19 related solutions around diagnostics and treatment protocols have commenced.

Commenting on TIH-DATA, Prof P J Narayanan said, “This is a great achievement for the institute to be selected as a TIH. We will focus on creating and curating diverse datasets under the Data Foundation being set up under the Hub. Data and its fair, transparent, and open access are critical to the development of ML-based solutions. Translational research will be a particular focus of our Hub. Since IIITH has the largest AI research group in the country, we are looking forward to taking our research from lab to land and making significant contributions to data driven technologies”.

American Clothing Giant GAP Inc and Nnnow.com's Parent to Open Innovation Hub in India for Water Saving Tech Innovations

American clothing retailer GAP Inc (Gap) has announced that will open a new innovation center by next year to promote the adoption of proven techniques and technology that reduce water use by the textile manufacturing industry.

For the innovation hub, Gap has partnered with, Arvind Limited, its longtime sourcing and franchise partner in India and unit of Ahmedabad, Gujarat-based Lalbhai Group. Notably in 2016, Arvind Internet Limited (AIL), which is a division of Arvind Limited, had launched an online fashion e-commerce platform Nnnow.com. AIL was established in 2013 and touts itself as a hybrid startup of tech and fashion. AIL initially started with its custom clothing platform Creyate in 2014 and therefter in May 2016 launched the omni-channel retail platform Nnnow.

"The apparel industry is one of the most intensive users of water in the world and, in India, 54 percent of the population faces high to extremely high water risk," Gap describes in its press release.

The two companies will open a new innovation center by 2020 and will promote the adoption of proven techniques and technology that reduce water use by the textile manufacturing industry. Additionally, Arvind and Gap Inc. are also investing in a new water treatment facility that will eliminate the use of fresh water at Arvind's denim mill in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The company claims that the facility will save 3-billion-liters of fresh water by the end of 2020 and preserve the local community’s vital freshwater resources.

The new center will be an innovation hub for apparel companies, manufacturing suppliers and vendors, sustainability experts, academics, and other environmental stakeholders to advance and scale water stewardship across the apparel sector.

Coming up in 18,000-square foot space, the innovation center will feature -

• 
  
• installations that showcase water management best practices and recycling technologies;


• a library;


• Lab space to develop water management solutions as well as classroom training and conference space.

Once completed, "the innovation center will generate scalable solutions that can be replicated at other mills and laundries," says Gap.

Incubation & Accelerator

With upcoming innovation hub, Gap is aiming to improve urban Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) (Refer) sector performance through incubation and acceleration of innovative solutions, technologies, programs and service delivery models within a collaborative framework.

To achieve this, the innovation center will focus on promoting innovative solutions and outcome oriented capacity and knowledge building initiatives. The project will support the WASH programs at the national level, including three cities in selected states, and directly benefit about 150,000 people, including roughly 75,000 female beneficiaries. This project is also supported by private sector donors including YES Bank, Ennovent and Valluri.

In 2017, Gap along with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) had launched the Women + Water Alliance in India, a partnership to improve and sustain the health and well-being of women and communities touched by the apparel industry.

C-CAMP and Japan's Beyond Next Ventures Launch Hub to Fund & Mentor Indian Life Sciences, Bio-Tech Startups

The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP), India’s premier bio-innovation hub recently signed an Letter of Intent (LOI) with Tokyo, Japan-based venture capital firm Beyond Next Ventures (BNV), which is also one of the leading independent accelerators in Japan dedicated to incubation investment in technology start-ups.

The aim of this collaboration is to encourage and promote the best deep science innovations in the field of Life Sciences and Biotechnology in India.

The two organizations intend to create the C-CAMP – BNV Innovation Hub (CBIH) which will largely focus on facilitating Japanese investment of up to 5 million USD in Indian start-ups working on exciting technologies in the Life Sciences and Biotech domain.

This hub also aims to support start-ups in both the regions through exchange of human resources and technologies and through other facilitation programs and events to connect skilled talent, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders in both regions.

C-CAMP has over the last few years interacted with over 500 start-ups and supported over 100 of these through funding, incubation and mentorship.

Dr. Taslimarif Saiyed, CEO & Director, C-CAMP said “C-CAMP has been identifying and supporting the most exciting early stage innovations and now looks forward to nurture many more such high-risk high-return innovations at an early stage through this collaboration with Beyond Next Ventures. This will be a fantastic start to build Indo-Japan collaborations for high-end innovations.”

Mr. Tsuyoshi Ito CEO, BNV said “We are very excited to jointly launch the “C-CAMP Beyond Next Ventures Innovation Hub” (“CBIH”) in collaboration with the top incubator in India C-CAMP. As the top accelerator and VC in Japan, we look forward to combining our experience and extensive network with C-CAMP to support new innovations in Japan and India. Through this collaboration, we plan to make full-fledged venture investments into the life sciences field of India and contribute to the industrial and economic development in India in the future."

Established in August 2014, BNV is an independent accelerator dedicated to incubation investment in technology startups. It is one of the few leading companies in the field in Japan with a wealth of investment experience ranging from support for commercialization of university seeds to venture investment, growth support, and excellent operation results, and JSTs university new industry creation program. It has been recognized as a business promoter at (START) and EDO's R & D venture support project. The first fund established in February 2015, and the second fund established in October 2018, totals less than 15 billion yen, operating as the country's largest fund as an accelerator, and will be invested in a large number of technology startups, supporting its commercialization and
growth.

BNV is actively working on commercialization support other than funding, "BRAVE acceleration program", for researchers / entrepreneurs such as universities and research institutes aiming to commercialize innovative technologies, matching with management human resources candidates, knowledge and human resources for commercialization realization We provide network and growth funds. In addition, a program called “Blockbuster TOKYO” That supports contracting from Tokyo and supports entrepreneurship in drug discovery and medical ventures and growth of drug discovery and medical venture companies also operates.

In February 2019, as a base to provide start-up companies in the life sciences area with support for commercialization including research and development, BNV launched the share lab / wet lab “Beyond BioLAB TOKYO” in Chuo-ku, Tokyo.

From March 2019, BNV started to provide a co-founder matching platform "Co-founders" specialized for technical seeds and researchers at universities(URL:https://co-founders.team/)and by providing the online matching opportunities and real support, we are helping to create a strong founding team.

Bengaluru is 4th Most Popular Destination for Innovation Centres Globally

Bengaluru, which often touted as India’s Silicon City, has been ranked the fourth most-popular innovation centre destination following the US Silicon Valley, Singapore and London said a report by Capgemini’s Digital Transformation Institute.

Organisations are increasingly establishing innovation centres across the globe to boost research within their ranks. India now accounts for 25 per cent of innovation centres in Asia while Asian cities comprise of 29 per cent of the innovation centre count globally.

The report also noted that while firms are heavily investing in innovation centres in an attempt to keep up with market changes, they are failing to become more innovative. 80 per cent of the new innovation centres are exploring artificial intelligence and big data analytics.

The top destination in the US, Silicon Valley’s share has gone down 20 per cent in the past 2 years.

The report also said that companies are struggling with a lack of innovation-focused culture, absence of robust internal processes and leaders who promote this kind of success internally.

The research also found innovative firms are 13 per cent more likely to take part in internal and external collaborations with start-ups, academia and other industry partners. While the US remains the market leader, innovation centres are rapidly opening in India and Singapore.

“To achieve and sustain real change, firms need to create a culture in which all employees are encouraged, through financial and non-financial incentives, to experiment and push ideas to market. However, a sense of innovation and creativity needs to be instilled company-wide if it is to be truly successful,” said Lanny Cohen, Global Chief Technology and Innovation Officer of Capgemini.

The total number of innovation centres across the globe has increased to 580 from 456 last year.

Among the newly established innovation centres over the last year, 26 per cent cater to electronics and IT, 21 per cent dedicated to the automotive sector and 20 per cent of financial technology centres. Shell and Paypal are among the more recent companies that have launched innovation centres in Indian cities like Bengaluru and Chennai.

The above report was first reported in Business Standard.

Bengaluru has built an impressive profile for itself in the global tech scene. To recall, New York-based global technology and innovation giant IBM now employs more people in India than in any other country, including its home country the US.

Earlier in October, a report by realty consultancy firm Knight Frank ranked Bengaluru as World's most affordable tech hub [Read Here].

In an another report, research firm 2thinknow that specializes in analyzing innovative cities, Bengaluru stands at number 19 among the world’s top high tech cities -- the only Indian city to figure in the list.

Meet 4 Biotech Startups Selected For iHUB Incubator of CCMB

Hyderabad-based Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) made waves in the Indian startup world last year when it announced about opening an Innovation Hub (iHUB@CCMB) in its medical biotechnology complex there. CCMB, which is a research establishment of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), set up the Innovation Hub with an aim of engaging with the industry and translating its own research into reality.

After the launch, the iHUB is in the news once again for selecting four biology startup companies- Bioartis, Virupaksha Life Sciences, Theranosis and Oncosimis. This is for the very first time that the Innovation hub has signed up four biology startup companies. All the selected four have already exchanged a licence agreement with the CCMB to incubate their startups at CCMB's Hyderabad-based iHUB.

A press release announcing the selection reveals that the CCMB has put in extra efforts in providing state-of-the-art facilities at iHUB so that any biology startup could make optimum use of those facilities as "plug and play" mode and have these at their disposal.

According to a statement given by CCMB Director Rakesh Mishra, the basic idea behind setting up iHUB was that any biology startup in India shouldn't have to look beyond iHuB for facilities and that each of these startups should be provided with a fair chance at becoming a success by executing their business plans.

He also added that the Innovation hub hosts a number of activities like scientist-industry interactions and training programmes on how-to produce industry-ready human resource that would specifically prove beneficial to the biotech industry.

Here's some more information about the selected 4 biology startups:

1) Oncosimis Bitotech Private Limited

Incorporated on 05 December, 2016 by Lokireddy Chandra Mohan Reddy and Lokireddy Sudarsanareddy, this Telangana-based biology startup plans to establish their innovative processes in the production of biosimilars and develop a novel/innovative process to prepare a number of cancer drugs.

2) Virupaksha Life Sciences

Incorporated in November 2016 by its founder M Bala Subba Reddy, Virupaksha Life sciences plans to utilise iHUB facilities to develop novel molecules for diabetes.

3) Theranosis Lifesciences Pvt Ltd

Incorporated in February 2016 by founders Shibi Chakravarthy and Balakrishna Venugopal Nambur, Theranosis Lifesciences Pvt Ltd is a Biotech R&D startup, which is on a mission to enable personalized cancer therapy by harnessing the power of Asia’s largest biobank of patient derived tumor tissues and India’s BioIT S/W skills to develop and deliver novel theranostic products for the global market and clinical diagnostic services to the Indian market.

The startup's vision is to build on the recent advances being made in the medical technology field and give birth to a sustainable, viable and scalable product-oriented Biotech R&D company with a goal to deliver niche "in vitro diagnostics" for enabling personalised cancer care.

4) Bioartis Life Sciences Private Limited

Founded by Sunanda Arvapally, Jatin Arrvapalli, Deepti Naseer and Nasaruddin Khaja in July 2014, Bioartis Life Sciences Private Limited is focused on optimizing and validating novel diagnosis methods for diseases of animal and marine origin. It also plans to develop diagnostic kits for such marine diseases.

According to the Press Release, all the selected four biology startups are expected to start their activities at iHub very soon.

[Top Image - Shutterstock]