Hoping to strengthen its presence in the world’s emerging markets, IBM Corp. plans to open new Innovation Centers in China, Brazil and Russia, the company said in a statement sent to the media Monday.
The centres, which were scheduled to be announced Wednesday, will serve as resources to local venture capital firms, developers, systems integrators, and software vendors by providing them with access to IBM products and technical information, the statement said.
The computer vendor already operates 25 such centres worldwide, and presently has operations in Shanghai, Sao Paulo, and Moscow, according to IBM’s Web site. More than a dozen new centres will eventually be opened, the statement said.
IBM sees opportunity in the world’s emerging markets. Sales of IBM products grew by more than 25 per cent last year in China, Russia, and India, totaling more than US$4 billion, the company said.