IBM Launches Innovation Center to Fuel Entrepreneurship

IBM Launches Innovation Center to Fuel Entrepreneurship

IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced it will open a new IBM Innovation Center to help start-up companies, software developers, and independent software vendors (ISVs) create new software and hardware applications and services.

Located in Dallas, Texas, and serving local companies, the new IBM Innovation Center will provide technical support and expertise to help businesses test, build and optimize applications based on open platforms. The new center is designed to meet the growing demand from Business Partners and venture funded organizations looking to harness IBM expertise around innovative technologies such as System z, Cell Broadband Engine and Service Oriented Architecture (SOA).

This effort is in response to the tremendous growth that the Dallas technology community is achieving. According to the Greater Dallas Chamber Index, Dallas Fort Worth commands the highest concentration of technology activity in Texas with one-third of all tech establishments and 40 percent of the state’s technology jobs.

With the introduction of this new center, IBM will now host a network of more than 35 IBM Innovation Centers around the world. Since their inception over ten years ago, IBM Innovation Centers have become a key component of IBM’s strategy to help companies build innovative solutions before they expand into new markets. In 2006 alone, more than 6,000 business partners leveraged IBM Innovation Centers worldwide to build and test new solutions.

Growing Network of Global IBM Innovation Centers

The new IBM Innovation Center in Dallas will offer R&D expertise to enable start-ups, software developers, and other small to mid-sized companies to create new software and hardware applications and services. These efforts will provide start-ups an entry-point to IBM’s Research network, accelerating innovation by providing insights into emerging technologies.

To meet the demands from companies that are looking to stay up-to-speed on new technology, the center will also sponsor workshops and best practices for local businesses to take advantage of emerging technologies such as SOA and Cell Broadband Engine architecture. Additionally, IBM will also host connection events offering companies unique networking opportunities for business growth.

Read the complete Press Release