Technopark has Huge Role in Tapping Benefits of IoT Revolution by 2030, says Armada.AI India R&D Head

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:

Technopark has rightly positioned itself to tap the benefits from the prediction that there will be approximately 30 billion IoT (Internet of Things) devices connected worldwide by the year 2030, Sarath Chandran, Head of India R&D, Armada.AI, has said.

Expounding his views in Technopark’s official vodcast, ‘Aspire: Stories of Innovation,’ Chandran said the country’s first IT Park has a huge role in IoT revolution where solutions can be built by leveraging the data, which is a goldmine of information.

“Technopark is in the right direction of building a perfect technology and startup ecosystem to tap the benefits from it,” he pointed out.

Chandran urged young developers to explore the frontiers of Edge AI, as an increasing amount of data is being generated at the edge. “There are immense opportunities to innovate and build disruptive solutions. The edge is the future of technology,” he noted.

Barely 10 months into opening its first India office at Technopark, the US-headquartered Armada.AI has scaled up operations by turning the facility as the key centre in developing unique AI technologies. Recently, the pioneer in Edge Computing and Artificial Intelligence (AI) products has also expanded operations in Technopark Phase-3.

“There are multiple factors for choosing Thiruvananthapuram as our head office in the country. We considered cost perspective, talent availability, quality of life and retaining the talent. Besides, Technopark, which is the greenest park, realized our potential and provided world class facilities for us,” he said.

Highlighting that Armada.AI believes in building ecosystems, Chandran said the company is open for any kind of partnership in the state’s vibrant IT ecosystem.

Armada.AI has partnered with Starlink and Microsoft and the collaboration helps them get better reach to the partner ecosystem and different markets, apart from getting latest knowhow of technology.

Its partnership with Starlink is to create a software platform that helps customers better manage and optimize their Starlink connectivity, enhancing the value they derive from it. Armada’s AI and edge computing solutions help companies with operations in remote parts of the world where access to robust connectivity and computing resources is limited.

Noting that the company’s mission is to bridge the digital divide, he said Technopark provides a highly conducive environment for the company’s growth.

“We are also partnering with some of the world’s leading NGOs to drive AI-powered rural development, with a focus on rural education and healthcare. Better access to connectivity, computing, and AI will significantly contribute to our vision of ‘education for all.’ AI- and technology-driven mobile hospitals and clinics, powered by robust connectivity, will greatly improve lives and help us achieve our goal of bridging the digital divide,” the India Head explained.

The company has recruited world-class talents from within Kerala where it has around 100 R&D engineers and is actively looking to grow its team further.

Currently, the US and the Middle East are Armada’s major markets, but a broader global expansion—including India—is on the horizon.

Armada is backed by prominent investors, including Founders Fund, the venture capital firm established by PayPal founders Peter Thiel, Ken Howery, and Luke Nosek. Founders Fund’s portfolio includes major companies like Facebook, Airbnb, Palantir, SpaceX, Twilio, Spotify, and Stripe. The company has also received funding from M12, Microsoft’s venture capital arm.