TCS launches Peterborough customer innovation lab
April 26, 2007

Tata Consultancy Services has today launched its UK Innovation Lab in Peterborough. The new lab will provide customers with an experience centre where new domain solutions can be developed, incubated and piloted, using the latest technologies. The investment, the first of its kind by an Indian company, demonstrates a real commitment to the UK market and will provide a unique offering for customers.

TCS Innovation Labs give TCS customers ‘on-demand’ access to innovation and creativity with a team comprising of domain experts, business process analysts and technology and R&D specialists. Working within a collaborative hub, customers will have access to specialised labs and “Co-Innovation Network” (COIN) partner expertise. This will help organisations ensure that the innovations implemented and tested in the lab will deliver real value before enterprise-wide deployment.

The Peterborough lab is focused on the changes that will affect all enterprises in the near future, and works as a central hub to the other 18 TCS Innovation Labs, making use of the ideas and innovations created in those labs and bringing them to one collaborative location.

Inaugurating the Innovation Lab in Peterborough, Mike Croucher, head of IT delivery, British Airways, said: "The term innovation is used very loosely in the IT business, but innovation that provides a real competitive advantage, or benefits customers is invaluable. By taking a collaborative approach and working closely with us at the Innovation Lab, TCS has helped to support and enhance BA's IT systems, enabling us to improve our service and continue to reduce costs."

“The opening of this lab in Peterborough demonstrates TCS’ continuing investment in the UK market,” said AS Lakshminarayanan, VP and country manager, UK & Ireland, TCS. “The focus of the UK Innovation Lab will go beyond technology innovation and develop solutions that result in higher productivity and business innovation for our customers. This lab provides customers with a unique opportunity to experience a high degree of certainty before committing to big-budget implementations.”

“TCS has established an effective co-innovation network that helps bring people and organisations together to talk about technology, domains, markets and implement real solutions that will bring real value,” said K Ananth Krishnan, VP and chief technology officer.

“Innovation labs are a critical element of IT vendors' innovation ecosystem, as confirmed by our recent research around innovation in IT services,” said Angel Dobardziev, analyst, Ovum. “TCS is making a very significant step to enhance its innovation capability with the launch of its Peterborough Innovation Lab.”

TCS has launched the UK Innovation Lab in conjunction with a number of partner organisations including IBM and Microsoft, who are key technology partners underpinning TCS solutions with their technology, as well as solutions partners such as Cassatt, Intersystems and Leapstone Limited.