Wipro opens innovation centre in Silicon Valley to sport AI, VR expertise

Firm joins Infosys, TCS to tap talent to service clients such as Facebook, Google and Apple

Information technology services firm Wipro has opened an innovation centre in Silicon Valley to showcase its expertise to global technology companies in areas such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality and automation.

Apart from demonstrating its work on emerging technologies, the centre will also look at Wipro's collaboration with start-ups in the Bay area through Wipro Ventures, its strategic investment arm. Wipro Ventures is a $100-million (Rs 640 crore) fund that focuses on investing in early-to mid-stage start-ups and leverages Wipro’s global reach and market knowledge to accelerate the growth of its portfolio companies.

Earlier this month, the company inked a deal to boost artificial intelligence research in Israel with their largest university.

Wipro joins larger rivals such as Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to set up such centres and tap the talent to service clients such as Facebook, Google and Apple. These centres are also aimed at dispelling the perception that Indian firms only do low-end work, while struggling to push delivery of complex projects.

Abidali Z Neemuchwala, chief executive officer (CEO) & executive director, Wipro said: “Our new centre imbued with the culture, spirit and creative energy of Silicon Valley, the cradle of technological innovation, will design and deliver path-breaking solutions for our clients. Wipro is committed to working more closely with start-ups, academia and leading technology companies in the Bay area to help our clients achieve their desired digital transformation outcomes.”

These initiatives follow similar leads by TCS in setting up a digital re-imagination studio in Santa Clara, California and a drone research lab in Cincinnati, Ohio. TCS has invested nearly $3 billion (Rs 19,230 crore) to boost innovation, academia and education programs, apart from employment over the last three years. TCS has steadily improved its presence across US colleges through recruitment, career fairs, tours of innovation labs and in the case of Carnegie Mellon University, a $35 million (Rs 224 crore) academic grant. 

Similarly, in May, Infosys announced the opening of four technology and innovation hubs across the United States to serve clients in key industries. Infosys CEO Vishal Sikka also works out of the Palo Alto centre in Silicon Valley.