Cisco will open an Internet of Things innovation centre in Australia this year

Networking giant Cisco plans to open an Internet of Everything Innovation Centre in Australia this year, which the company said will house experts in the Internet of Things and help catalyse IoT innovation in the region.

The $15m centre, one of eight planned globally (Rio de Janeiro, Toronto, Songdo, Berlin, Barcelona, Tokyo and London) will include locations in Sydney at Sirca and in Perth at Curtin University. Perth-based energy firm Woodside Energy will also contribute resources to the centre.

The centres include dedicated space to demonstrate Internet of Things platforms, and are being pitched as areas where customers, startups and researchers can come together to prototype and test out their ideas.

“Australia is a sophisticated market with a high level of innovation and an early adopter of new technology. Australia is already highly regarded globally for its resources and agriculture sectors and is well-placed to serve the rapidly growing Asian markets, and the Australian government has prioritised these sectors accordingly,” said Irving Tan, senior vice president Asia Pacific and Japan at Cisco.

“The aim now with Cisco IoE Innovation Centre, Australia and its ecosystem of partners is to accelerate innovation and the adoption of the IoE in Australia,” Tan said.

The announcement comes the same week Cisco published a report claiming UK Internet of Things startups could generate more than £100bn over the decade as their offerings catch on in industries like healthcare, retail, transport and energy.

The company also said large firms, SMEs, and government organisations in the UK need to cultivate more joint innovation partnerships if any industry stakeholders are to reap the financial benefits of such a proliferation in internet-connected devices.