NetApp opens Bengaluru Global Center of Excellence, Startup Accelerator Program

NetApp has announced the opening of its Bengaluru, India, Global Center of Excellence to further innovation in data management for the hybrid cloud era.

The new engineering facility, located in the technology hub of Whitefield, is home to one of the company’s largest research and development (R&D) teams. It also houses the company’s first startup accelerator program, called Escape Velocity, that will help nurture technology startups. As one of the first all-steel buildings in India, the facility and its surrounding campus are a model for sustainable design.

“Bengaluru is the technology, science, and knowledge capital of India and this is a matter of great pride for all of Karnataka. The State Government offers its complete support to technology companies in establishing their centers here. I am very happy that NetApp has invested in a great future with their new campus.” said  Siddaramaiah, Chief Minister, Government of Karnataka, on this occasion. Siddaramaiah inaugurated the center in a ceremony attended by government and civic officials, NetApp employees and senior company leaders from around the globe.

“The innovations that come from our Bengaluru Global Center of Excellence will help customers around the world get ahead of the competition by enabling their data-powered digital transformation strategies,” said NetApp CEO George Kurian. “Our continued investment in India, with its highly skilled talent, collaborative government and global business partners, strengthens our ability to succeed in the new era of hybrid cloud.”

NetApp has been in India for 15 years, fuelling advancements in the company’s portfolio of flash, cloud, and next-generation data center solutions that help manage and protect the world’s data. The Bengaluru team’s mission includes expanding NetApp’s lineup of Data Fabric solutions and services that maximize control and improve the secure movement of data across the hybrid cloud. The diverse skills of employees and partners available at the new center will further innovations in these areas. NetApp India has been ranked as one of the top 50 best places to work since 2009, and the new campus provides an inspiring, collaborative and state-of-the-art environment for its engineers to develop new offerings even faster.

The new NetApp startup accelerator program, Escape Velocity, will house and help nurture technology startups. “The digital revolution is creating a need for partnerships to fully support customer needs,” said Deepak Visweswaraiah, Managing Director of NetApp India and head of NetApp’s worldwide Data Fabric and Manageability Group. “As we evolve our Data Fabric approach, the Escape Velocity program will help to share our technology expertise and business acumen with innovative startups which will add to the robust cloud data management ecosystem our customers need. With our support, these startups will be on a path to win in a dynamic global IT environment.”

The Global Center of Excellence is uniquely designed to create a collaborative environment that inspires employees to be their best. With a 12,000-sq. ft. data center and engineering laboratory, employees can access the latest and most sophisticated technologies across the world. The 15-acre campus incorporates a million square feet of workspace that supports multiple collaborative options with hi-tech conferencing capabilities, a 1,000-seater auditorium, and informal meeting areas to foster teamwork.

The center is also one of the first all-steel buildings in India. It was built with 7,000 metric tons of nearly 100% recyclable steel, which reduced water waste during construction. Sustainable features are built into every design feature to optimize energy usage creating carbon savings of over 12,000 tons per year, which is same as planting as many trees a year. In addition, the construction processes applied resulted in saving about 1,500 tons of CO2. With over 70% of land area free for open, green spaces and all possible water recycled through an “eco-pond”, the campus is a benchmark for green buildings.