Deloitte, the world’s largest professional services network, has unveiled a pioneering ‘phygital’ (physical + digital) innovation centre in Bengaluru. This Centre of Innovation and Technology (DCIT) aims to provide domain-specific solutions that help businesses reduce costs and enhance efficiency, driving a new wave of growth and innovation.

Spanning 12,500 square feet, the DCIT is divided into five distinct zones: retail, manufacturing, digital studio, immersive, and advanced connectivity. Ashvin Vellody, Partner and Strategy, Innovation, and Assets Leader at Deloitte India, highlighted the centre’s mission to foster a “culture of innovation” and support businesses across various sectors. He emphasised that the DCIT will allow businesses to visualise the “art of the possible” and implement innovative business models through a unique phygital experience.

“Our centre aims to assist businesses across industries in reimagining their customer interfaces and experiences, supply chains, and product development by creating diverse prototypes,” said Vellody. The centre leverages cutting-edge technology, including 5G and artificial intelligence (AI), to bridge visionary ideas by delivering high-quality products and services.

A key feature of the DCIT is its commitment to ‘co-creation.’ Vellody stressed that Deloitte aims to bring together the entire ecosystem, including clients, partners, and alliances, to foster collaborative innovation. “We don’t want to do this alone; it is a co-creation journey,” he explained, noting that the centre has over 60 use cases across sectors such as retail, manufacturing, and healthcare. These use cases are refreshed every 90 days to stay relevant and cutting-edge.

The DCIT also incorporates advanced technologies such as mixed, immersive, and augmented reality to provide clients with hands-on, real-time experiences. This approach ensures that new business ideas are thoroughly tested and understood before deployment, aligning them closely with the specific needs of each business and sector.

Moreover, the centre actively engages with academic institutions like IIT Delhi and IIT Madras to further stimulate innovation. By connecting with academia, Deloitte aims to integrate cutting-edge research and insights into its innovation processes, ensuring that the DCIT remains at the forefront of technological advancements.

In summary, Deloitte’s new ‘phygital’ innovation centre in Bengaluru is set to revolutionise how businesses approach innovation and efficiency. By leveraging physical and digital solutions, the DCIT offers a comprehensive and forward-thinking environment for businesses to explore, create, and implement new ideas. As Vellody aptly put it, the centre showcases “how cutting-edge technology can bridge visionary ideas with the delivery of high-quality products and services,” making it a beacon of innovation in the corporate world.