As IBM unveils its global headquarters for Watson IoT business the company has also moved to kick off a major ecosystem initiative.
The company’s first ever cognitive collaborations will see companies such as Avnet, BNP Paribas, Capgemini and Tech Mahindra form development teams at the IBM centre. All of which will also act as an innovation space for the European IoT standards organisation EEBus.
EEBus currently has over 60 members who are leading stakeholders in the connected home. This including Bosch, ABB, SMA, Schneider and other European automotive brands.
In 2016 IBM confirmed that BMW will collocate part of its research and development operations at its new Watson IoT centre, now an addition of four companies have signed up to IBM’s industry ‘collaboraties’ where both clients and partners work together with the IoT experts.
Avnet, an IT distributor and global IBM partner, is to open a new IoT lab within IBM’s Watson IoT HQ. It will be deployed to develop, build, demonstrate and sell IoT solutions powered by IBM Watson.
The company also plans to enhance its expertise in IoT technology through a selection of hands-on training and on-the-job learning. The team of IoT and analytics experts will also partner with IBM on joint business development opportunities such as smart homes, transportation and more.
BNP Paribas is to deliver Watson IoT-based innovation for the Banking industry. Kai Friedrich, CEO of the Consorsbank business said: “We will collocate a team of solution architects, developers and business development personnel at IBM’s Watson IoT centre.
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“Together with IBM’s experts, they will explore how IoT and cognitive technologies can drive transformation in the banking industry and help innovate new financial products and services such as investment advice.”
Global IT consulting and technology services provider, Capgemini will work together with IBM’s IoT experts to help customers maximise the potential of Industry 4.0 and develop and deploy sector-specific cognitive IoT solutions across the market.
IBM opening Watson IoT global headquarters in 2015 in Munich, Germany for the cognitive era. [From left to right] David Kenny, CEO, The Weather Company; John Kelly, SVP, Solutions Portfolio and Research, IBM; and Harriet Green, GM, IBM IoT &Education; Laurent Martinez, SVP, Head of Services Business Unit, Airbus; and Matthias Rebellius, CEO, Siemens Building Technologies. (Stephan Sahm for IBM)
Lastly Tech Mahindra, the India-based enterprise and communication IT provider, is to collaborate with a team of six developers and engineers within the Watson IoT team to deliver and showcase new solutions on IBM’s Watson platform for Industry 4.0 Manufacturing, Precision Farming, Healthcare and others.
Harriet Green, General Manager, IBM Watson IoT said: “We have reached a tipping point with IoT innovation: we now have over 6,000 clients and partners around the world many of who are now wanting to join us in our new global Watson IoT centre to co-innovate.”
All the collaborations have formed to work together on building a new global IoT innovation ecosystem which will explore the ways cognitive computing and IoT technologies will transform industries across the world.
