Imec India partners with Wipro to bring nanoelectronics solutions to emerging markets

LEUVEN, BELGIUM: Imec announced the establishment of imec India in Bangalore, Karnataka, making a first step towards the Indian market with the signing of an R&D partnership agreement with Wipro Technologies. Imec is a leading independent applied research organization that carries out research activities in semiconductor, nanotechnology and nanoelectronics, delivering industry relevant technology solutions.

Imec and Wipro have created a joint initiative to co-innovate and build next generation intelligent systems, called Applied Research in Intelligent Systems Engineering (ARISE). By bringing together an experienced team of system designers, user designers, process, software and system architects, this initiative aims to develop nanoelectronics and NEMS-(Nano Electro Mechanical Systems) based solutions for emerging markets like India.

The joint initiative will initially focus on developing intelligent systems based on next generation sensors, wireless and energy harvesting technologies for key industry verticals. The core team for the joint center being set up in Bangalore will draw specialist teams from Wipro and imec, with additional hiring from global talent pools across industry and academia, to create a team of highly qualified engineers/scientists.

The solutions will leverage imec’s heterogeneous semiconductor process integration platform - CMORE - that offers design, prototyping and low-volume production of systems-on-chip that can combine logic with mechanical, chemical or optical functions.

Emerging markets consisting of 80% of global population offers great opportunities for intelligent products to be designed ground up to address its unique needs. Nanoelectronics is the cornerstone to provide such products, addressing societal challenges like efficient and sustainable healthcare system, sustainable urbanization, and sustainable use of energy.

Imec has an excellent track record of pioneering nanoelectronics technologies and providing solutions in global partnerships with leading companies. Wipro is a leader in bringing IT solutions and product design services to market. The partnership will leverage the technology capability of imec and Product Engineering and IT integration expertise of Wipro to build right solutions for emerging market.

“Our partnership with Wipro underlines our commitment towards providing solutions for emerging markets,” said Luc Van den hove, president and CEO imec. “I’m confident that Wipro’s product engineering expertise, industry vertical presence and understanding of the emerging markets will augment our research capability to develop cost-efficient products for many new markets including India.”

The Wipro-imec partnership is unique in bringing together a leading Research organization in nanotechnology and a system & software engineering leader. The R&D alliance is open to other players to participate and build system prototypes based on concurrent innovations in nanotechnology and system engineering, enabling novel applications for emerging markets. Rajesh Ram Mishra, VP, Wipro Technologies will head this joint initiative.

“This Wipro-imec initiative ‘ARISE’ will act as a bridge between industry, academia and research labs to bring in a combination of applied research, system & business design and product engineering capabilities under one roof to deliver highly affordable and sustainable solutions for emerging markets,” said T K Kurien, CEO, IT Business & Executive Director, Wipro Ltd. “This further underlines our commitment towards solving emerging market challenges through future ready technologies. ARISE will also be a key enabler in reverse innovation of successful emerging market solutions to address the global need.”