Microsoft to partner HCL Technologies on a Redmond, WA IoT incubation center

Laurent Giret

Microsoft is currently hard at work on growomg its Azure Internet of Things ecosystem, and the company recently launched the Azure IoT Suite and Azure IoT Hub to provide enterprises a pre-configured IoT solution to easily connect and analyze data in real time. Today, we learned that the global IT services company HCL Technologies announced the launch of an IoT Incubation Center in Redmond to further leverage Microsoft Azure IoT Suite and accelerate IoT adoption for its clients.

According to the press release, the upcoming HCL incubation center will focus on developing a new model of innovation leveraging real-time analytics, sensory data and rapid co-creation, and also on building vertical solutions focused on industrial manufacturing and healthcare. In the end, we should expect various use cases in industrial automation, remote patient monitoring, and fleet management, among others.

Sukamal Banerjee, EVP & Head of IoT WoRKS Business Unit at HCL Technologies, explained:

“Innovation in today’s world requires invention and execution. The ability to rapidly prototype and bring solutions to market is a key to enterprise success in a hyper-innovative global environment. Industrial IoT is slated to be the next big productivity and revenue generation lever for enterprises worldwide. We are confident that our collaboration in this space will create some truly innovative and actionable industrial IoT solutions which are scalable, cost-effective and focused on user experience.”

On Microsoft’s side, here is what Susan Hauser, Microsoft’s Corporate Vice President for Business & Corporate Responsibility had to say about the announcement:

“One of the most transformative trends affecting businesses today is the Internet of Things. Together with HCL, we’re enabling companies to accelerate IoT adoption with industry-specific solutions that deliver greater business insights, new revenue models and speed return on investment. These capabilities are essential to creating greater impact and maintaining competitive advantage in the digital economy.”

And so, it seems that both HCL Technologies and Microsoft believe that IoT will enable the creation of new services and solutions which can really help companies to differentiate themselves and create business value. While we’re still early in the IoT revolution, this announcement is still definitely an acknowledgment of Microsoft’s leadership in the IoT space.