Walmart Launches the Center for Technological Excellence at IIT Madras

Walmart Global Tech (WGT) has collaborated with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) to establish the Walmart Center for Tech Excellence. This center is specifically focused on empowering Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) within the manufacturing and retail sectors. Its primary goal is to develop innovative solutions aimed at assisting MSMEs in adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digitization to enhance operational efficiency and drive profitability.

Walmart is a retail giant offering omnichannel solutions to help customers save money and improve their lives. It is operating in 19 countries and serves approximately 255 million customers and members weekly through its network of over 10,500 stores and numerous eCommerce platforms. With a fiscal year 2024 revenue of $648 billion, Walmart employs around 2.1 million associates globally. The company is renowned for its leadership in sustainability, corporate philanthropy, and providing employment opportunities.

This partnership marks yet another step towards Walmart's dedication to providing local entrepreneurs with resources to enhance their enterprises and foster continuous growth within the Indian MSME sector. The center's objective is to construct an open-source platform, agnostic to specific domains, aimed at creating engineering analytics solutions that are easily accessible. Moreover, it will establish a library of case studies to expedite the adoption of AI in manufacturing and retail. These studies will also serve as the foundation for skill development programs focused on introducing the fundamentals of AI and its practical application in these industries.

The Walmart Center for Tech Excellence was officially launched during a ceremony attended by prominent figures including Suresh Kumar, Global Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and Chief Development Officer (CDO) of Walmart Inc., Balu Chaturvedula, Senior Vice President & Country Head of Walmart Global Tech, and Professor V. Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras. The list of attendees also included Professor Raghunathan Rengaswamy, Dean of Global Engagement at IIT Madras, and Professor Mahesh Panchagnula, Dean of Alumni and Corporate Relations at IIT Madras, along with key leaders from Walmart and senior faculty members from IITM.