Innovation Hub Launched in Metro Detroit
An innovation hub has been launched in Detroit by professional services company Accenture. The hub is aimed at helping companies in the automotive, technology, industrial equipment, energy and utility industries to address the move towards digital products and services in a move known as Industry X.O. It is estimated that by the end of 2020 the company will add 200 skilled technology jobs to the local market.
Michigan’s Governor, Rick Snyder, welcomed Accenture’s decision in expanding its commitments in Detroit. He said that Accenture’s investment is a testament to Michigan’s history of innovation and growing talent base. The Detroit innovation hub includes a state of the art Industry X.0 innovation center in Livonia, which is aimed at helping clients explore, co-create, test and gauge digital solutions that will improve product development, manufacturing, engineering, customer experience and cyber security. With this innovation in place, clients will be able to develop and test proficiencies to see how an idea could work in real-life.
Accenture’s CEO, Julie Sweet, also spoke to say that bringing innovation to the client’s doorstep in Detroit will not only create success in today’s digital economy, but will also help the clients achieve concrete and leading-edge results faster than ever. The leader of Accenture’s industrial practice in North America, Brian Irwin, said that the new innovation hub in metro Detroit will complement their other Industry X.O innovation centers, including those that have a strong focus on automotive.
Accenture employs over 850 people in Detroit and works together with local companies in industries such as automotive, consumer goods and services, education, health, insurance and retail. The company is also expanding its metro Detroit apprenticeship program in partnership with Grand Circus, an organization that helps to develop Michigan’s tech workforce.
