BANGALORE, INDIA: Interview with Sanjay Virnave, CEO, Mistral Solutions.

Q: What is Mistral Solution's role in telecom and networking space?

Virnave: Since the inception of Mistral Solutions in 1997, we have been offering design services in the embedded technology space. Since last year, we are actively engaging in telecom domain. We have strengthened expertise in telecom application spectrum, ranging from customer premises (Access and Aggregation Layer) to the core network equipment. A key strength is the team's expertise in developing firmware, HAL, system software and application software for various products. The telecom services team has a strong foundation in developing high-speed systems running up to 10 Gbps on a single differential pair.

Mistral offers hardware, software and system development services in areas such as telecom, networking, broadband, packet processing, streaming and storage. Our team also provides product enhancement services such as line card re-design, EOL support etc, and FPGA design services (as part of the telecom vertical) such as FPGA design and evelopment, board validation etc.

Q: You are betting big on telecom division, what are the strategies to capitalize on this?

Virnave: By 2015, telecom equipment segment is expected to rise to $100 bn market. Besides, we are witnessing a lot of demand in design, developing and manufacturing locally, so from the past 1 year we have been very aggressive in telecom space.

Currently, product engineering services division including telecom, automotive, and semi-conductor space contributes 6% to the overall revenue. We intend to augment from 6 to 18% in a couple of years. We have engaged actively in customer acquisition. We have chalked out an efficient marketing strategy. We have set up a resource mobilization team, which handles emerging businesses and provide training as well.

Telecom infrastructure space is a niche area because it involves heavy investments, and we are targeting this segment. We particularly facilitate design activity. We are bracing up on our core competency 'designing and re-engineering rather than production'. We tailor products/solutions to customers' needs.

Q: What is your clientele in telecom space?

Virnave: We have made a deal with a Spanish manufacturing company, which caters to Indian, Latin American, and European markets. We are on the verge of finalizing a pact with an African manufacturer and a North American company. We are very bullish on India and would shortly partner with a couple of manufacturing companies operating in India.