Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad and Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC), Japan, have signed a three-year contract to start the Suzuki Innovation Centre (SIC) at the institute campus. The centre has been launched with the vision of “creating innovations for India and Japan” by providing a platform for the exchange of knowledge between the two organizations, IIT Hyderabad said.
This is IIT Hyderabad’s first collaboration with a foreign company to launch an innovation centre.
The centre will act as a platform for open innovation for industries, academia, and startups. The Centre will also support skill development and the exchange of human resources between India and Japan.
“SIC is yet another milestone for IITH to play an important role in strengthening the India-Japan relationship. As a part of this initiative, IITH has offered the necessary support for the Centre within the Technology Research Park,” IIT Hyderabad said.
Speaking on the initiative, Professor BS Murty, Director, IITH,said, “It is a result of cumulative success stories between Suzuki Motor Corporation and IITH over the years. The philosophy of this program is to create inclusive value for the Indian and Japanese societies.”
“IITH will work closely with Suzuki Motor Corporation and other upcoming stakeholders to identify and address broad challenges on and beyond mobility, in India and Japan, on top of the synergistic combination of technology and design. The Centre is also a testament to the leaders we are producing at our campus. Very young & dynamic alumni of IITH: Vipul Nath Jindal and Prathyusha Thammineni, who have led the whole initiative from ground-up,” Prof Murty added.