Microsoft unveils its innovation hub 'Garage' in Hyderabad

Microsoft has officially opened its innovation and incubation hub Microsoft Garage in India. The Garage will be located at the India Development Center(IDC) in Hyderabad and will be the second largest in the world.

Microsoft Garage is a platform for Microsoft employees that supports and encourages a culture of experimentation, working together across organisations and technology to explore ideas and build prototypes, adding value to existing products.

The Garage has three lab sections: ‘A Hub’ for hackathons and workshops; a ‘Makerspace’ with an electronic workbench, 3D printers, laser cutters, a PCB milling machine for creating prototypes; and a ‘Reality Room’ for those working in the arena of augmented-and virtual-reality and mixed-reality applications.

The Garage also supports experimentation and encourages problem-solving in new and innovative ways, ultimately empowering people to achieve more, the software giant said in a statement.

Microsoft Garage has in the past seen innovative projects such as Seeing AI, an app for visually impaired people that narrates the world around for them; SMS Organizer, an Android app that organises, categorises and customises the user's SMS inbox, helping them focus on categories of messages that are important to them; Favorite Lock Screen - a unique Android lock screen app that provides users with daily HD wallpapers and news about their favourite celebrities and interests; and Kaizala, a mobile app and service designed for large group communications and work management.

Apart from opening the new facility in Hyderabad, the company is also expanding its operations. The tech giant revealed that Bangalore is next on their radar.