L-R: Gwanggu Lee, MD, Kia India with Prof. K N Satyanarayana, Director, IIT-Tirupati.

Kia India, a leading mass premium carmaker of the country, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Technology, Tirupati (IIT-Tirupati), with an aim to accelerate engineering excellence, promote research-led innovation and nurturing future-ready automotive and industrial talent.

As part of the understanding, Kia India will invest INR 350 million over a five-year period (2025–2029) to support academic infrastructure, collaborative research programs and student development initiatives at IIT-Tirupati. The company will also support establishing the institution as a prominent centre of excellence in advanced manufacturing, electric mobility and sustainable automotive technologies.

As part of the agreement, an internship programme with Pre-Placement Offers (PPOs) will be introduced for students, strengthening the bridge between academic learning and industry practice. The partnership also includes scholarships and financial assistance for deserving M.Tech students, awarded based on both academic merit and financial need, ensuring wider access to advanced education.

A key feature of the collaboration is the establishment of a ‘Makers Laboratory’ on campus — a state-of-the-art innovation hub where students will be able to design and build prototypes across disciplines. This facility is expected to drive hands-on research and reinforce IIT-Tirupati’s position as a centre for applied technological advancement.

Gwanggu Lee, MD and CEO, Kia India, said, "This partnership is not merely the signing of an MoU — it is the coming together of shared values and a unified vision for the future of mobility and engineering in India. At Kia, we firmly believe in the transformative power of education, research and collaborative innovation. By joining forces with IIT-Tirupati, we aim to nurture highly skilled engineers and technologists, equipped to lead advancements in sustainable mobility and industrial manufacturing. Together, we are building more than infrastructure — we are building opportunities, capabilities and a foundation for meaningful societal impact.”

Going forward, the partnership will also explore international academic partnerships between IIT-Tirupati and reputed Korean universities, facilitating student and faculty exchange programs and joint research initiatives in emerging technologies.

Prof. K N Satyanarayana, Director, IIT-Tirupati, said, "We are delighted to partner with Kia India in this forward-looking collaboration, which resonates deeply with our commitment to research excellence and nation-building. This initiative will provide our students with exposure to global industry practices, global learning opportunities, and advanced infrastructure. Beyond academic benefits, this partnership signifies our joint resolve to contribute to India’s aspirations in sustainable industrial development and technological leadership. We look forward to creating impactful innovations and empowering our students to shape the future of mobility.”

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Simulation engineering specialist Ansys and BlueKei Solutions, a leading consulting firm specialising in digital engineering, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote and advance digital engineering practices in India.

The partnership aims to drive innovation across industries including, aerospace and defence, automotive and high-tech. They will collaborate to integrate advanced digital engineering methodologies and tools to support organisations transitioning from component-based engineering to a systemic approach. BlueKei will have access to Ansys MBSE product portfolio and methodology and have access to Ansys licenses on a need-basis for joint engagements. On the other hand, BlueKei will identify gaps in solutions and work with Ansys tools where needed, leveraging Ansys’ expertise.

Mike Yeager, Area Vice-President, India and Japan, Ansys, said, “Ansys has always been dedicated to empowering organisations with high-quality digital engineering solutions. Our partnership with BlueKei presents a valuable opportunity to facilitate the adoption of Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), enabling businesses to refine their engineering processes for improved efficiency and innovation. With BlueKei, we are strengthening our digital engineering capabilities, paving the way for organisations to optimise their engineering practices and drive transformative results.”

As per the understanding, the partners will create a seamless synergy between simulation-driven methodologies and structured systems engineering practices. This will allow businesses across industries to embrace innovation, optimise resources and stay ahead in an increasingly competitive market.

Murali Pullela, Director of Sales – India, Ansys, said, “This partnership between Ansys and BlueKei marks a definitive leap forward in the adoption of Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) in India. By uniting Ansys’ industry-leading MBSE solutions with BlueKei’s specialised expertise, we are poised to eliminate critical gaps in system engineering and deliver exceptional value to our clients. Together, we will drive significant innovation and efficiency across industries, empowering engineers with the most effective tools and methodologies to tackle complex challenges head-on.”

Ajit Mutalik, Co-founder & Director, BlueKei Solutions, added, “Our collaboration with Ansys empowers us to expand integrated engineering solutions spectrum that maximise efficiency, shorten development cycles and elevate overall product performance. By harnessing Ansys' advanced simulation tools, we provide our clients with a powerful digital framework designed to conquer complex engineering challenges.”

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Pune-headquartered software and technology company KPIT Technologies has inaugurated its new technology centre in Gothenburg, Sweden, to further strengthen its footprint across global mobility hubs.

The first for KPIT in the Nordic region, the Gothenburg center will support European OEMs and investment to tap into the region’s vibrant talent and innovation ecosystem.

Located at Lindholmen Science Park, the facility is at heart of Sweden’s automotive and mobility R&D ecosystem, which is also surrounded by Swedish passenger car and commercial vehicle manufacturers, academic institutions and cutting-edge mobility start-ups.

Sachin Tikekar, President & Joint MD, KPIT Technologies, said, “Our vision is to reimagine mobility for a cleaner, smarter and safer world. Sweden is a powerhouse of innovation, especially around safe and sustainable mobility, with Gothenburg at its epicentre. Our presence here allows us to be physically closer to leading Swedish and European OEMs, enabling faster collaboration and solving their core business challenges with our software, hardware design and manufacturing engineering capabilities. We are excited to work with local talent, harness Sweden’s focus on technology and green transition, and co-develop solutions for challenges of mobility OEMS globally.”

The new Swedish facility will work in closely with KPIT’s centres in Germany, UK, France, Italy and more — and enhances the global delivery network that spans the USA, Japan, China, Thailand, India and Tunisia.

Patrik Andersson, CEO of Business Region Goteborg, said, “This is a strategically important investment for the Gothenburg region. The fact that KPIT Technologies is expanding here strengthens the capacity of our automotive cluster and confirms our city’s importance as a global hotspot in software-defined mobility and transport. We know that the company sees great growth opportunities in Sweden. We warmly welcome their investment in Gothenburg."

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Shenzhen-headquartered smartphone and electronics brand Realme has inked a three-year strategic partnership with the Aston Martin Formula One Team.

As part of the understanding, the electronics company will introduce a co-branded mobile – the Realme GT 7 Dream Edition on 27 May in Paris, France. This smartphone will not only sport the flagship performance of the Realme GT series but also incorporate the iconic two-wing design and the custom Aston Martin Green. Furthermore, as part of this collaboration, the two parties plan to jointly develop two models annually.

Sky Li, CEO, Realme, said, “Collaborating with a legendary racing team like Aston Martin Aramco is a crucial step for us to push the boundaries of innovation. Only our most perfect products get the ‘scarab wings’ and take flight, so we are excited to use our new platform with the team to continue to bring stand-out designs and premium craftsmanship to users across the globe.”

Matt Chapman, Head of Licensing and Merchandise, Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team, said, “It’s a pleasure to welcome Realme to the team, with the launch of our first ever co-branded phone. The GT 7 Dream Edition combines high-performance with innovative design, and we look forward to working together on the collaboration of future models.”

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German commercial vehicle major Daimler Truck has announced the appointment of Raghavendra Vaidya as its new Chief Information Officer (CIO).

Effective 1 June he will succeed Marcus Claesson to lead the company's IT, driving innovation and growth across the organisation.

At present, Vaidya serves as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer at Daimler Truck Innovation Center India (DTICI) and is responsible for all IT operations in the country. He joined Daimler in 2016 as Senior Vice-President-IT at Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India (MBRDI). In the past, he has held various leadership positions for several business divisions at General Electric. Interestingly, Vaidya will continue to be based out of Bengaluru but focus on the global scheme of things for Daimler Truck.

Andreas Gorbach, Member of the Board of Management for Truck Technology, said, “We are excited to welcome Raghavendra Vaidya to our Executive Team. In his previous role Raghavendra has built, strengthened and sharpened the Daimler Truck Innovation Center India (DTICI) in Bangalore into an integral part of Daimler Truck for central functions, engineering and IT. With a career spanning over 25 years in various IT positions he brings a wealth of experience and know-how, strategic vision and leadership to his new role to lead our company into a rapidly evolving data-driven future.”

"I would like to thank Marcus for his contribution establishing our new IT set-up following the spin-off from the former Daimler AG. Marcus has managed an Herculean task to set up a stand-alone IT including major transformational moves and led vehicle connectivity across all brands worldwide surpassing the milestone of more than 1 million connected vehicles. We wish Marcus all the best for his future, and we are convinced that Raghavendra will build on this strong foundation," added Gorbach.

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