JLL, India's largest real estate services firm, announced the launch of IDEA Lab, an incubation cell, to tap into the ecosystem of startups and vendor partners and to bring the best of technology applications, tools, and solutions with an aim to drive client experience and productivity. Through this pioneering programme, JLL's Facilities Management business aims to bring the best of breed FM solutions and disruptive technologies such as the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, robotics, chatbots, machine learning, predictive analytics, etc., that have current or future applications in the space their clients operate in.

 

Findings of a recent survey of CEOs across the Asia Pacific region, sponsored by JLL, reveals that a large majority of CEOs believe that automation and artificial intelligence (AI) will affect the way people in their companies work. As new innovations revolutionise how people work, companies must be prepared to tackle the challenges and embrace the opportunities that technology brings. Savvy C-suites today see a direct co-relation between productive places of work and healthy balance sheets. In this scenario, Facilities Management has a vital role to play in enhancing employee experience and efficiency at workplaces through the perfect mix of technology and the human touch.

 

Sandeep Sethi, Managing Director, Integrated Facilities Management, West Asia, JLL says, "We have seen that increasingly, our clients have been demanding agility, easy access to innovation 'as it happens' in the market and relevant technologies that positively impact their end-user experience."

 

"The IDEA Lab will be a perfect bridge to make the big step from idea to execution and make our client's facilities 'future ready'. Smart AI infused bots, sensor-driven meeting rooms for efficient space utilisation, app-based cafeteria, transport solutions and the Internet of Technologies enabled green buildings are not the concepts of future anymore. We are witnessing tomorrow, today," he added.

 

JLL has recently inducted 'Tech Innovator' - Hemant Soni, to helm this initiative. Hemant is an IIT Roorkee alumnus, a young entrepreneur with an experience of starting and leading technology startups. He is also the Founder and CEO of mPass - a visitor management solution.

 

In addition to being a gateway to the startup and partner ecosystem for new technologies, the IDEA Lab will also execute pilot projects for organisations and will have the responsibility to scale up and implement successful pilots in live client environments.