We’re witnessing an unprecedented technological inflection level—one which I imagine represents the best worth creation alternative in a technology. The staggering magnitude of worldwide AI investments—Apple’s $500B, France’s $100B, Stargate’s $500B—indicators a basic shift in how know-how will reshape our world. With this transformation comes mounting calls for for efficiency, sustainability, and safety that require progressive options at a scale we’ve by no means seen earlier than.
At Cisco Innovation Labs (CIL), we’re uniquely positioned to satisfy these challenges head-on, working globally however performing regionally to create options that show the artwork of the attainable for our prospects and companions.
The Energy of Cisco’s International Innovation Engine
Our Innovation Labs function throughout 5 key world markets—Brazil, Canada, France, Spain, and the UK/Eire. Whereas bodily current in these places, we work with out borders, going wherever our prospects are. This world footprint allows us to remodel Cisco’s world methods into native, customer-centric options.
What really units Cisco aside is our unmatched visibility into the digital panorama: over 100 million gadgets, 5 billion day by day menace analyses, and a presence in 95% of Fortune 100 firms. This wealth of knowledge fuels our innovation with distinctive insights that few different firms can match.
We begin by designing with empathy for our prospects and the challenges they face. This customer-centric strategy ensures that our improvements deal with real-world wants and ship tangible worth.
Engineering-Led Co-Creation: A New Mannequin for Innovation
We’ve moved past conventional vendor partnerships to a mannequin of ecosystem-enabled resolution improvement. This shift has dramatically accelerated our time-to-market and elevated the influence of our improvements.
Let me share three breakthrough improvements taking place proper now that exemplify this strategy:
Quantum Safety for Governments, Protection Businesses and Monetary Companies
Co-developed with Telefonica, Polytechnic College of Madrid, ID Quantique, LuxQuanta, it NOW, and ICFO
As quantum computing advances, it poses an existential menace to present encryption requirements. Governments, protection companies, and monetary establishments face a “harvest now, decrypt later” situation the place adversaries gather encrypted information at this time with plans to decrypt it as soon as quantum computer systems turn out to be succesful.
Our Spain crew, led by Xavier Azemar, has been pioneering quantum-safe hyperlinks between information facilities. We’re implementing each post-quantum cryptography (PQC) requirements like ML-KEM and Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) to create encryption that continues to be safe within the quantum period.
This work isn’t theoretical—we’ve already applied RFC 8784 in our merchandise, supporting handbook pre-shared keys and dynamic key distribution. In partnership with firms like IDQuantique and Luxquanta, we’re creating options that meet probably the most stringent safety necessities from finance and authorities sectors.
Current developments underscore the urgency of this work. In April 2024, the European Fee revealed suggestions for a coordinated implementation roadmap for post-quantum cryptography, whereas in August 2024, the White Home launched a report estimating that transitioning U.S. federal companies to post-quantum cryptography will price $7.1 billion between 2025 and 2035. Government Order 14144, signed in January 2025, directs the Federal Authorities to arrange for this transition urgently.
Watch our Quantum Safety innovation in motion.
Morgan Photo voltaic Blinds: A Sustainability Breakthrough
Co-developed with Morgan Photo voltaic
Our Canada crew, below Justin Cohen’s management, has developed an progressive strategy to good constructing know-how that’s remodeling power effectivity.
Working with Morgan Photo voltaic, we’ve developed AI-driven photo voltaic blinds that optimize power effectivity in business buildings. These aren’t simply passive window coverings—they’re clever energy turbines that combine with Cisco’s digital constructing infrastructure.
The know-how combines IoT connectivity, AI-based automation, and real-time analytics to create an entire power administration system. Every blind generates energy with embedded photovoltaic cells whereas a Cisco-powered DC microgrid distributes and manages the power.
Our pilot set up at Cisco Canada’s Waterpark Place—already a LEED Platinum-certified good constructing—demonstrates exceptional outcomes. The system screens room occupancy by means of Webex sensors, optimizes power manufacturing, and considerably reduces consumption with real-time changes based mostly on situations.
The information is spectacular: our analytics present power manufacturing peaks of over 50kW per 30 days per set up, with reductions in thermal power that translate to substantial price financial savings and lowered carbon footprint. A single set up can considerably cut back greenhouse fuel emissions, representing annual financial savings
See the Morgan Photo voltaic Blinds in motion.
Absolutely Immersed AI-Prepared Information Middle
Co-developed with Complete Linux, Itrium, Intel, NVIDIA, and AMD
As AI workloads skyrocket, cooling conventional information facilities has turn out to be considered one of tech’s most vital challenges. Our France crew is pioneering the world’s first totally immersed information heart, decreasing bodily footprint by 10x and power use by 1/3.
This breakthrough combines immersion cooling, Cisco Silicon One, and superior companions’ AI applied sciences to ship the 20x efficiency enchancment wanted for AI workloads whereas assembly sustainability targets.
See the i-Cooling venture introduction.
The Accomplice Benefit in Innovation
For our companions, Cisco Innovation Labs gives distinctive benefits:
- Early entry to rising applied sciences – Work with options earlier than they hit the market
- Co-creation alternatives – Develop options alongside our engineers
- Direct buyer engagement – Resolve actual buyer issues in real-time
- Aggressive differentiation – Provide options that weren’t attainable earlier than
This partnership mannequin creates a flywheel impact—the extra we collaborate, the quicker we innovate, and the extra worth we create for purchasers.
The Path Ahead: Engineering Collectively
We stand at a singular second the place infrastructure, safety, and observability are converging in unprecedented methods. The AI transformation represents each a problem and a possibility for all of us.
At Cisco, we imagine engineering-led innovation is the important thing to addressing at this time’s most complicated challenges. Our Innovation Labs are open for enterprise, able to collaborate with companions who share our imaginative and prescient of remodeling prospects into realities.
Able to pioneer the following breakthrough with us? Be part of Cisco Innovation Labs’ companion ecosystem and rework your experience into market-defining options. Contact Simon Dyke to schedule a dialog and discover how we will engineer the longer term collectively. Essentially the most highly effective improvements aren’t in-built isolation—they’re co-created with companions such as you.
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