Siemens has announced plans to boost investments into its digital presence in the Middle East with $500mn over the next three years.
Among these investments are MindSphere Application Centres with two planned for the UAE, while Siemens is committed to setting up 20 of these centres in total across 17 countries. Each centre spans multiple locations in different countries and specialises in a particular industry in which Siemens is active.
At these centres, around 900 software developers, data specialists and engineers will work together with Siemens customers to develop digital innovations for data analysis and machine learning. These new solutions are being developed on MindSphere, Siemens’ cloud-based operating system for the Internet of Things (IoT).
In the UAE, the two new centres will be located in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, with the former handling airports, logistics and cargo “to co-develop innovative approaches that improve the movement of people and goods”.
Meanwhile, Siemens’ other centre in Abu Dhabi will cater to process industries, mainly focusing on oil and gas, water and waste water, enabling customers to improve operational efficiency and reduce their costs across the whole value chain.
Siemens is also providing software grants to university students in the UAE, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The grants seek to develop the skills required to drive the region’s digital transformation.
“The Internet of Things has arrived and is set to transform industries and cities. However, many companies are still in the early stages of adopting digital strategies and incorporating them into their business models,” said Roland Busch, chief technology officer and member of the managing board of Siemens AG.
“Siemens has reinvented itself into one of the world’s top 10 software companies and is continuing to expand its digital capabilities. We see vast potential for the adoption of digital technologies in the Middle East and want to support the region’s transformation in various ways, ranging from youth development to setting up our MindSphere Application Centres.”
