Commenting on the launch of MICs in India, Joseph Landes, General Manager, DPE, Microsoft India, said, “The Microsoft Innovation Centers are designed to offer a unique environment conducive for student entrepreneurship. As knowledge and innovation become primary catalysts for economic growth in India, the Microsoft Innovation Centers can play a vital role in generating powerful new ideas through training, education and knowledge transfer.”

 The MIC program will act as the key driver of Microsoft’s vision for developing new talent in India at the student level.  Budding developers will be encouraged to innovate across key priority technology focus areas that are driving growth and change for the economy, namely: Mobility (Windows Phone), Cloud (Windows Azure), Kinect, Accessibility, Healthcare and a wider ambit for solving problems with an India focus.

 The MIC announcement comes days after the India launch of Microsoft’s new global philanthropy initiative, YouthSpark – aimed at addressing the opportunity divide faced by the young people of the world. In particular, MICs will play a crucial role in deepening the relationship between academia and industry, enhancing at a very basic level, employability and education, reducing the digital divide, support for innovation and driving sustainable socio-economic impact.

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