BANGALORE: IT services major Wipro Technologies, which is scaling its competencies in R&D services and product engineering, has now decided to make specific investments into innovation. The company has structured a special new initiative called 'Quantum Innovation'.

"We have identified four-five areas under the program which will have specific investment and teams. We have identified areas which require distinct focus including some product engineering and IP intensive areas as well as potential market opportunities that we plan to ride on," said Ramesh Emani, president, product engineering services group, Wipro Technologies.

According to sources, some of the areas identified under the program include technologies that were acquired as part of Wipro's recent buy-outs such as Enabler, Saraware, NewLogic and others.

Emani said that this program would be a broader extension of the Center of Excellence (CoEs) that the company has set up around IT services and technologies.

"The CoEs are giving us incremental value and contribute substantially higher revenues. The Quantum Innovation program will take a much broader view," he added.

Around 500 engineers are currently working on innovation-related projects at Wipro. Emani said that the program would not be location-specific. Innovation projects make up for five per cent of Wipro's revenues (around $100 million a year). The company is gunning for 10 per cent revenue share from quantum Innovation in three years time.

Analysts say that this kind of focus and differentiation could place Wipro in good stead in the competitive global IT services market. "Indian service vendors are realizing that services are not just about volume play. Wipro's move is a harbinger that innovation will now come from value-based projects and not just industry verticals," said Siddharth Pai, partner and MD, TPI India.

© CyberMedia News

Email This   Print This   Comments   RSS