We’re proud to share that Mumbai has been chosen as the latest web site — and our first worldwide location — in Cisco’s 40 Communities initiative. This announcement builds on greater than three many years of partnership and purpose-driven innovation in India, marking an thrilling new chapter in our shared journey to Energy an Inclusive Future for All.
For 30 years, India has been central to Cisco’s story. Our dedication to constructing essential infrastructure, advancing safety and AI capabilities, and accelerating digital abilities has grown alongside the nation’s exceptional financial transformation in help of the Authorities of India’s development and improvement priorities. Since 2015, we’ve collaborated with our companions throughout authorities, academia, and nonprofits to positively influence greater than 50 million lives in India — an incredible milestone we reached earlier this 12 months.
Now, we’re constructing on that basis in a essentially new approach. As India’s monetary capital, Mumbai is the financial engine of Maharashtra, India’s second-most populous state. Mumbai’s financial significance and various expertise pool coupled with Cisco’s longstanding partnerships made it the best selection because the second group — and first worldwide market — in our 40 Communities initiative.
An built-in method to transformation: What 40 Communities means for Mumbai
40 Communities represents our subsequent huge ambition: a 10-year dedication to interact, help, and spend money on 40 communities world wide, bringing collectively Cisco’s know-how, international attain, and trusted partnerships to construct related, resilient communities the place everybody can thrive.
What units this ambition aside is our dedication to a proximate, community-centric method. We begin by listening to grasp key wants, alternatives, and current profitable options. Working shoulder to shoulder with native leaders and companion organizations, we are going to companion with the group to co-create a set of built-in options that replicate what communities inform us they want essentially the most. By weaving collectively our experience throughout workforce improvement, connectivity, and safety, we assist drive coordinated motion that delivers exponential influence and lasting change.
For Mumbai, this built-in method goals to handle essentially the most urgent wants and unlock its best alternatives. Alongside authorities leaders, trade companions, educational establishments, and group organizations, we’re initially centered on three areas the place Cisco’s capabilities can drive the best influence: increasing entry to abilities in cybersecurity, AI, and networking; supporting startups and small companies; and constructing cyber resilience.
Abilities coaching at scale
In partnership with the Confederation of Indian Business (CII), we’re launching the Cisco Centre of Excellence for AI, Networking, and Entrepreneurship. Positioned at CII’s Multi-Ability Coaching Institute and Mannequin Profession Centre in Mumbai, the Centre goals to coach 100,000 college students over three years by way of in-person and hybrid packages. The bodily house consists of hybrid lecture rooms, innovation zones, and a totally outfitted makerspace — a collaborative workshop the place college students can prototype, experiment, and construct with rising applied sciences — centered on growing the AI and networking abilities employers are looking for.
We’re additionally increasing Cisco Networking Academy throughout diploma schools, technical institutes, and polytechnics all through Maharashtra, offering entry to programs in cybersecurity, AI, networking, and knowledge analytics.
By means of our longstanding collaboration with NIIT Basis, we’re scaling AI and cybersecurity coaching, aiming to achieve 2.7 million individuals throughout India by 2028, together with 100,000 in Maharashtra. This builds on our Cyber Suraksha program, which has already helped multiple million individuals be taught cybersecurity abilities to navigate an more and more digital world.
Supporting startups and small companies
In partnership with Dr. D. Y. Patil Faculty of Engineering and Innovation in Pune—Maharashtra’s second-largest metropolis, about 150 kilometers southeast of Mumbai—we’re establishing an EDGE Heart, a hub designed to increase entry to digital coaching, hands-on know-how, and entrepreneurial help. The middle will equip learners, startups, and small companies throughout the state with Cisco’s applied sciences, coaching, and mentorship to strengthen native innovation and financial alternative.
We’re additionally launching an city tech accelerator with Villgro Innovation Basis centered on tech-enabled options for water and waste administration, one in all Mumbai’s most urgent challenges. Taking part startups will work straight with Cisco technical consultants for help in safety, system integration, and cloud optimization.
What connects all of this work is individuals. Throughout all three focus areas, we’re creating significant alternatives for Cisco staff to interact straight with these initiatives. Our crew members will present mentorship to college students on the CII Centre, supply technical steerage to startups within the accelerator packages, and help authorities officers in constructing cyber response capabilities. These connections create pathways not only for abilities switch, however for the sort of studying and relationship-building that strengthens each our enterprise and the communities we serve.
Shared imaginative and prescient, lasting influence: Co-creating options for a brighter tomorrow
Thirty years of partnership in India and 50 million lives positively impacted over the past decade alone have bolstered a easy fact: after we take heed to communities, work alongside them, and co-create options, know-how turns into a catalyst for alternative, innovation, and resilience.
Mumbai, because the second location underneath our 40 Communities initiative, represents the subsequent chapter on this story, providing a blueprint for the way built-in, tech-enabled options can deal with systemic challenges at scale. We’ll be working intently with our companions to refine and launch these initiatives, measure influence, and share what we be taught.
As we usher on this new period of social influence and produce our Goal of Powering an Inclusive Future for All to life in Mumbai and past, we’re not simply investing in know-how. We’re investing in individuals, in partnerships, and within the perception that when enterprise and communities thrive, all of us transfer ahead collectively.
