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Inside the R&D Playbook: Where Tech Services Companies Are Placing Their Bets
Inside the R&D Playbook: Where Tech Services Companies Are Placing Their Bets

July 3, 2025

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In the ever-evolving tech services landscape, Research & Development (R&D) has emerged as a key driver of innovation and long-term business resilience. This blog explores how leading tech services firms (Including Accenture, Capgemini, NTT Data, TCS, Infosys and Wipro) are shaping their R&D strategies and investments across AI, talent, and infrastructure.

In Let’s delve deeper to understand their strategy.

 

R&D Intensity: FY25E Snapshot

For this analysis, R&D spend is examined across three key areas

  1. AI strategy
  2. Talent skilling as a key enabler
  3. Infrastructure development

 

     1. AI Strategy

Spending on AI is at the core of tech services firms' R&D efforts, with most companies prioritizing platform-led innovation as a key strategic focus.

2.  Talent skilling as a key enabler

Companies allocate upskilling and reskilling budget as a part of their R&D spend while some companies allocate a separate budget under L&D—though in both cases, the initiatives are strategically aligned with the broader R&D objectives of the company.

Across the board, tech firms are converging on a unified R&D-adjacent talent strategy built around three guiding principles:

  • Accelerate service-line integration: Rather than siloed AI units, companies are weaving AI into their traditional offerings—modernizing legacy services with intelligent automation.
  • Position AI as a business-wide enabler: Whether through platforms like Accenture’s AI Navigator or Infosys’ Topaz, companies are upskilling with the intent to both transform internal operations and enhance client value.
  • Strengthen enterprise-grade expertise: Training at scale supports the development of proprietary IP and ensures AI systems are trustworthy, explainable, and scalable.

   3. Innovation Infrastructure

  • TCS boasts over 40 research and innovation centres, with dedicated quantum computing pilots, innovation labs, and digital twin engineering for verticals like aerospace and EVs.
  • Infosys is leveraging its Living Labs and Centres of Excellence to co-innovate with clients.
  • Wipro has built chip-to-cloud solutions through its engineering services and global innovation hubs.
  • Accenture: Global network of Liquid Studios, Innovation Labs, and Connected Innovation Centres to co-create solutions, spanning AI, spatial computing, robotics, and digital manufacturing.
  • Capgemini:  Launched AI CoE in Egypt and announced a new 5,000-seat facility in Chennai. The Chennai campus will host teams across financial services, engineering, digital, cloud, and AI.
  • NTT Data: Focused on next-gen photonics, medical digital twins, and quantum cryptography, through academic partnerships and labs across Japan and Silicon Valley.

R&D priorities across leading tech companies

To summarise, Accenture and Capgemini are clearly leading the pack, not just by investing more but investing strategically with a long-term objective.

  • Accenture is leveraging AI Navigator – embedded across service lines, to win large-scale, high-value deals.
  • Capgemini with its platforms and AI frameworks, demonstrates a structured, scalable and platform-driven approach to innovation.

In comparison, Indian tech remains largely anchored in applied AI that enhances delivery. While the transition toward platform- and IP-led growth has begun—evident in their AI rollouts and investments, they must go further.

To lead on a global scale, Indian tech companies need to ramp up deep-tech R&D, scale innovation infrastructure, and make IP creation a core business objective and not just a support function.


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Prajwal Pandey
Research Analyst

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