In April, Ingram Micro announced the creation of an IoT Center of Excellence (COE) at our Irvine, Calif. headquarters—where vendors, resellers and customers can connect with IoT through the lens of the end user and discover the technology’s vast and exciting potential through hands-on engagement.

Fulfilling a Need and Building on a Vision

The idea for the IoT Center of Excellence grew out of our need for an IoT lab, a dedicated space where our engineers could test and prototype IoT solutions. A solutions showcase seemed like a natural extension, given that IoT is an experiential technology—users need to touch and feel the solution and witness the outcomes in order to fully appreciate the benefits.

The new IoT Center of Excellence facility will also provide a venue for idea exchange and executive networking—a place where we can showcase real IoT applications, train partners, drive engagement, and accelerate IoT adoption among vendors, resellers and end users.

IoT Is a Major Focus for Ingram Micro

Ingram Micro has always been committed to investing in new and emerging markets, both geographically and in new technology segments. Since 2012, the company has made strategic acquisitions totaling $2 billion as part of an ongoing effort to extend our reach and capabilities. Mobility, lifecycle services and cloud have been focal points for the past several years, and now we see IoT as the next megatrend—a tremendous growth opportunity for our partners and us.

McKinsey reported that the number of businesses using IoT technologies increased from 13% in 2014 to 25% in 2019. JBA estimates the combined markets for IoT will grow to $523 billion in 2021, while reaching a 29% CAGR between 2017 and 2021.

Since 2018, Ingram Micro has been developing its IoT business unit by investing in dedicated sales, marketing, technical and executive leadership resources across several countries. Many organizations have heard about the promises of a smarter and more connected world, and Ingram Micro is committed to helping partners realize those promises. We see the new IoT Center of Excellence as yet another extension of that commitment.

Sabine Howest, a vice president of Ingram Micro, spearheads the company’s overall strategy and execution for IoT.

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