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Unilever Transforms India Centers for Next-Gen Innovation
4 Nov
Summary
- Unilever Plc invests an additional €35 million in India's R&D.
- Mumbai center will be an AI-driven product innovation hub.
- Bengaluru center focuses on global science, AI, and academic ties.
Unilever Plc is significantly expanding its research and development capabilities in India with an additional investment of €35 million. This investment aims to transform its existing centers in Mumbai and Bengaluru into next-generation, AI-led innovation hubs. The Mumbai facility is set to become a product innovation center, consolidating AI, digital technologies, product design, and scale-up capabilities within a unified ecosystem.
The Bengaluru center will evolve into a global hub for science, technology, and partnerships. Its focus will encompass foundational and application science, AI and digital advancements, India Foods R&D, and fostering collaborations with academic institutions and startups. This strategic development positions India as one of Unilever's largest global R&D hubs, currently employing over 800 scientists and specialists.
Across both centers, Unilever plans to implement AI-powered experimentation, automation, and digital twins to accelerate research and product commercialization. A notable €5 million investment over five years will support a strategic Bio-Futures partnership in India. This initiative aims to connect Unilever's global R&D with India's burgeoning bioscience sector, focusing on areas like human biology, microbiome science, and AI-enabled biology.
