Tata Consultancy Services, an information technology services and consulting company based in Mumbai, India, has launched a brand new co-innovation and advanced research center on Carnegie Mellon University’s campus.
The center, called TCS Pace Port Pittsburgh, is designed to utilize the latest advances in technology and collaborations between local startups, entrepreneurs students and educators to help companies innovate faster. It is designed for companies in an array of industries, but specializes in innovation in the manufacturing and utilities sectors.
It’s the fourth facility in the world of its kind launched by TCS. According to the company, the new center’s capabilities will include the following:
- TCS Academic Research Lab, where researchers and CMU experts will further research across technology areas including AI, blockchain, advanced analytics, cybersecurity and quantum computing.
- TCS Innovation Showcases, a presentation and engagement facility.
- TCS Co-Innovation Network Accelerator, where startups, tech partners, students, faculty and TCS experts can collaborate on innovations.
- TCS Agile Workspace, workspace with engineered virtual environments that can simulate real-world conditions to run business concepts.
- TCS Rapid Lab, an incubation lab to accelerate innovation and solve business problems.
- TCS Think Spaces, a workspace dedicated to applying design thinking to build businesses.
As a part of the launch, TCS Hall at CMU, which houses the center, was dedicated. TCS donated $35 million to develop the 90,000-square-foot building, which is LEED Gold certified and also houses the Carnegie Mellon Master of Science in Computational Finance program, facilities for the School of Computer Science’s Institute for Software Research and its Center for Business Engagement.
“Collaboration between universities and industry is key to addressing the pressing global challenges that face our society,” CMU President Farnam Jahanian said. “We are grateful to TCS for its exceptional philanthropy that has made possible this dynamic new facility. TCS Hall serves as a training ground for CMU students as well as a nexus of collaboration for partners across the innovation ecosystem. This is the latest chapter of our ongoing partnership to drive innovation and entrepreneurship at the leading edge of technology, science and society."
At the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new center, CMU’s provost and chief academic officer, James H. Garrett Jr., and Anne Molloy, vice chair, Board of Trustees, were joined by several representatives from TCS, including Chairman of the Board of Tata Sons Natarajan Chandrasekaran, CEO and Managing Director Rajesh Gopinathan and President, Enterprise Growth, Krishnan Ramanujam.
“To drive sustainable growth, U.S. companies are forming collaborative ecosystems spanning multiple technology disciplines and industries — like the ones TCS, CMU, startups and other partners will foster right here at TCS Pace Port Pittsburgh,” said Ananth Krishnan, chief technology officer at TCS. “This co-innovation hub brings to life our belief that innovation has a context but no boundaries. Together, we are answering the call to innovate with speed.”
