Acronis opens its R&D facility in Singapore

• Intent on tapping local talent and nurturing them, company says
• To invest US$40mil into R&D in Singapore over next 5yrs

DATA protection specialist Acronis has opened its research and development (R&D) centre in Singapore, which will host from 120-150 engineers.
 
It aims to hire local engineers and will provide the necessary training and mentoring to nurture them to become senior engineers and managers in the future, the company said in a statement.
 
“The establishment of Acronis’ R&D centre in Singapore is not only a testament to our proposition as a trusted regional data hub but also enables companies to go beyond delivering value through Singapore, to innovating and creating new business value from Singapore,” said Kiren Kumar, director of the Infocomms and Media Division at the Singapore Economic Development Board.
 
The centre will conduct R&D into data storage and processing, optimised data transfer protocols, data security, and mobile data protection. Acronis said it intends to invest more than S$55 million (US$40 million) over the next five years in R&D in Singapore.
 
“Acronis’ research facility in Singapore will become a software R&D centre that may be one of the largest and most advanced in the region three years from now,” said chief strategy and operations officer Mark Shmulevich.
 
“Acronis will be hiring dozens of local engineers starting already this year, both experienced researchers and fresh graduates.
 
“We will establish direct relationships with universities and specific education departments to expand the pool of available IT specialists.
 
“In addition to internal research, Acronis is planning to conduct joint research with A*Star institutes and other local organisations,” he added.
 
A*Star is the Agency for Science, Technology and Research in Singapore.
 
Acronis said it has already offered internships and mentorship opportunities to a number of universities and polytechnics in the country, and is open to form more partnerships in order to facilitate skill transfer and create opportunities for the new graduates to make a career with the company.
 
“Acronis is looking to participate in national projects that involve the collection and computing of big data in order to improve services,” said Acronis chief executive officer Serguei Beloussov (pic).
 
“For Acronis, it is a logical development. It is our way to give back to our home country and stimulate the economic development and productivity growth in Singapore, contributing to Singapore’s initiative to become a Smart Nation,” he added.
 
Acronis was founded in Singapore in 2001 as part of SWsoft, a technology firm which developed webhosting automation software. In 2003 Acronis branched out as a separate business unit.
 
In September 2014, Acronis brought its international headquarters back to Singapore from Switzerland.
 
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