A $50 million investment by Tata Consultancy Services has led to the inauguration of the Tata Innovation Center on Roosevelt Island, a space on the Cornell Tech campus for academics and industry leaders to come together to conduct research and solve real world challenges.
Tata Consultancy Services is a multinational company and a global leader in “providing innovative, best-in-class consulting, IT solutions and services,” according to TCS’ website.
The investment funded “the first phase of capital development” on the Cornell Tech campus and will also benefit ongoing technological research. The funds will also be used to expand New York City’s K-12 digital literacy curriculums, according to the University.
Tata Innovation Center is a “first-of-its-kind” building designed by Weiss/Manfredi Architecture and developed by Forest City Ratner Companies. The building emphasizes openness, centering around a large staircase that “promotes visual connections between floors … the heart of the campus and surrounding city beyond,” and featuring a glass facade “[melding] inside and out, allowing those inside to draw inspiration from river-to-river views,” according to the Cornell Tech website.
Tata Consultancy Services will also be a tenant in the Tata Innovation Center, along with companies such as Citibank and Ferrero.
TCS and Cornell scholars will collaborate in technological research in areas of cybersecurity and human-machine interaction, “benefiting both U.S. business and local communities,” according to TCS’s press release on the collaboration.
“Our joint research with Cornell Tech is designed to fully leverage their campus ecosystem and TCS’ industry leading technical expertise to develop solutions that empower notable transformation and talent development across industries,” said Rajesh Gopinatha, CEO and managing director of TCS.
In addition to serving as a hub that brings leaders in academia and industry together, the Tata Innovation Center will also house Cornell Tech’s “studio,” a curriculum that allows students to put their knowledge into practice and work with industry professionals, according to Cornell Tech’s website.
According to the Cornell Tech website, in studio culture, students gain inspiration by receiving constructive feedback on their projects from peers in an open and collaborative setting. They also receive guidance from studio faculty equipped with industry experience and advising from visiting industry leaders.
“Cornell Trustee Ratan Tata ’59, B. Arch ’62 and the Tata family of companies have long supported innovation at Cornell,” President Martha E. Pollack said in a press release. “Our new partnership with Tata Consultancy Services will drive innovation at Cornell Tech and help the campus reach its full potential for education, research and societal impact.”