Brands
Phillips opens Innovation Campus in India
MUMBAI: A few days ago Phillips opened a new campus in India. This marks a stage – wise migration from its current location in Ulsoor to this upcoming 500,000 square feet state-of-the-art facility spread over 12.5 acres.
Philips Semiconductors CEO Frans van Houten says, “Philips Innovation Campus (PIC) is elementary to Philips technology strategy and will become its global competence center to fuel growth and create value in the business areas of healthcare, lifestyle and technology. In the domain of lifestyle, it will significantly contribute to Digital TV and Blu-ray. Connectivity will be the key area of contribution under the Technology domain.”
Specifically referring to the activities of Semiconductors R&D team in PIC Van Houten said, “We are working on cutting-edge 65nm SoC designs and libraries, IP modules and are investing heavily in our Nexperia Home and Mobile platforms using the skills of the India design team. Additionally, a large number of global design-ins for our DTV and advanced cell phone programmes are being supported from here.
“India has become a major growth opportunity for us both from consumer and technology points of view and the investment in this Campus reflects our commitment to expanding our presence here. PIC’s growth plans are concrete and realizable.” Van Houten says that PIC expects to have 2500 employees by the of 2007.
“PIC has emerged as a critical partner in the development of strategic and futuristic technologies for Philips worldwide. It contributes around one-third the software content for our products worldwide and has established itself as a key center of excellence. It houses R&D activities under one roof in order to bring about synergy, cross-fertilisation of ideas and sharing of best practices” he added.
PIC CEO Dr. Bob Hoekstra said, “Phillips conducted a survey on expectations of the future workplace. The new Campus is designed around its employees, facilitating an easy to experience work environment with advanced features. This flows from the three brand pillars of Philips – Designed around you, Easy to experience, and Advanced. It is designed to offer a dynamic innovation environment.”
Brands
KKR sixes to power EV charger rollout under VIDA campaign
Cricket meets clean mobility as big hits spark India’s charging growth
NEW DELHI: VIDA, the electric mobility arm of Hero MotoCorp, has teamed up with Kolkata Knight Riders to launch a campaign that turns cricketing flair into real-world impact.
Titled ‘6 for 6’, the initiative promises to install a 6kW fast EV charger for every six hit by KKR during the ongoing Indian Premier League season. The idea is simple but powerful, as each big hit on the field contributes directly to expanding India’s fast-charging infrastructure.
The campaign builds on VIDA’s growing network, which already spans over 5,300 fast-charging points across more than 430 cities. With EV adoption gaining pace, the brand is using cricket’s mass appeal to accelerate both awareness and infrastructure growth.
Explaining the thinking behind the move, Hero MotoCorp emerging mobility business unit chief business officer Kausalya Nandakumar said, “Cricket has an incredible ability to unite and inspire millions across the country. With the ‘6 for 6’ campaign, we are turning every big hit on the field into a step towards a cleaner and a more accessible mobility future.”
She added that VIDA’s expanding fast-charging network and removable battery technology are designed to make EV ownership more convenient and practical for everyday users.
From the franchise’s side, the campaign is also about giving on-field moments a larger purpose. Kolkata Knight Riders chief executive officer Venky Mysore said, “The ‘6 for 6’ campaign exemplifies the potential of sport as a platform for meaningful, real-world impact. By linking every six to the expansion of EV charging infrastructure, this partnership transforms fan excitement into tangible progress.”
As part of the rollout, VIDA has introduced co-branded charging stations in KKR’s signature colours, with a flagship installation unveiled alongside team players. The chargers are designed for quick top-ups, powering VIDA scooters from zero to 80 percent in about an hour, while also being positioned along key highways to support longer journeys.
The initiative also taps into VIDA’s removable battery system, which allows users to charge using standard household plug points, adding flexibility to the charging ecosystem.
By blending the thrill of cricket with the urgency of clean mobility, VIDA and KKR have found a neat way to make every six count twice, once on the scoreboard and again on India’s road to an electric future.
