Medical equipment major Siemens Healthineers is investing Rs 1,300 crore (EUR 160 million) over the next 5 years in Bengaluru to make India one of its four key digital innovation hubs in the world.
The innovation hub, which will employ an additional 1,800 digital tech experts in the next 10 years will be housed in a new campus that combines the existing R&D centre and an ultra-modern medical imaging factory. When completed in 2025, the first phase of the new campus will include 70,000 square meters of office space for the enlarged R&D centre and 5,000 square meters of factory space. This will be one of four innovation hubs of Siemens Healthineers, with other hubs located in the United States, Germany, and China.
The campus will include centres of competence in digital technologies such as data analytics, artificial intelligence, immersive technologies like augmented and virtual reality, user experience and cybersecurity, the company announced at a virtual press conference.
"The innovation hub in Bengaluru will further accelerate our ability to develop effective solutions quickly and with a strong focus on emerging markets, especially in Asia and special focus is on solutions for the digitalisation of healthcare," said Peter Schardt, Chief Technology Officer. Gerd Hoefner, Senior Vice President Development Center and Managing Director Siemens Healthcare Pvt. Ltd said so far Siemens Healthineers has already invested about Rs 2,500 crore (EUR 300 million) in R&D in the country.
With about 50 percent of all software engineers in Siemens Healthineers, the existing R&D centre at Bengaluru plays a strategic role in developing software products and platforms for all three segments of the global medical equipment major - Imaging, Diagnostics, and Advanced Therapies. The Bengaluru factory makes Cios Fit C-arms and Somatom.go CT scanners. These entry-level systems are designed, developed and made in India and are sold in South-East Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe, and South America, he said.
Siemens Healthneers is an independent company spun off from German energy and engineering major Siemens AG, which still retains majority stake in the medical technology company.