Innovating at scale: The Micron Technology operations India story

Driving technological evolution across industrial ecosystem clusters

BRAND CONNECT | PAID POST

Published: Sep 30, 2024 11:54:59 AM IST

Updated: Sep 30, 2024 03:37:39 PM IST

Anand Ramamoorthy, Vice President and Managing Director, Micron Technology Operations India

In India, Micron Technology Operations India is more than just a company; it is a force driving technological evolution. With its advanced memory and storage solutions, from DRAM to NAND products as well as R&D centres in Hyderabad and Bengaluru the company has established a growing and impactful presence across the nation. A special series, Micron presents ‘The Power of Memory’, powered by CNBC TV18, highlights the profound impact of Micron Technology Operations India.

Rapid Scale-up

Micron Technology entered the India market later than peers, learning from the experience of other companies to establish operations that positively impact the company's top and bottom line in the mid to long term. Its rapid growth, to nearly 4,000 professionals, including contractors, marked the fastest scale-up in India's semiconductor industry history. Beyond expanding its workforce, Micron Technology Operations India has emphasized innovation, contributing over a thousand patents, inventions , and disclosures in a short period.

Taking Technology Forward

With respect to its commitment to product and technology leadership, Scott Deboer, EVP of Technology & Products, shares, "Micron's memory and storage products are meeting the demand for data management and enabling the economic transformation driven by AI." With over 40 years of experience, Micron has been at the forefront of disruptive growth drivers, including personal computers, the internet, digital photography, mobile phones, 5G communications, and data centres. Its recent advancements in DRAM and NAND technology, such as the 1-beta DRAM and 232-layer NAND nodes, have positioned Micron as a leader in the industry.

Scott Deboer, EVP Technology & Products, Micron Technology

Expanding Presence and Products

Micron’s business coverage has grown rapidly during the last few years. Today, Micron operates in several markets in India, including data centres, automotive, IoT embedded systems, and PC and adjacent PC markets. Over the past few years, Micron has made substantial efforts and investments in the Indian market and establishing a widespread reach in covering all key industrial ecosystem clusters as well as making Micron’s consumer/commercial products available widely across India including e-commerce platforms.

Supporting AI Solutions

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been a central focus for Micron, and its storage and memory solutions play a critical role in this space. "Data lives in memory, and AI largely follows a data-driven momentum," explains Anand Ramamoorthy, the Vice President and Managing Director at Micron Technology Operations India. “Whether it is edge inference or cloud training models, substantial memory and storage capabilities are essential.” He describes the AI landscape as a trifecta of breadth, volume, and depth, highlighting the importance of memory and storage in handling vast amounts of private data, the sheer volume of data, and the depth required for AI applications.

Shisheer Kotha, the Director for Smart Manufacturing and AI at Micron Technology Operations India, discusses the company’s pioneering efforts in leveraging AI, data science, and machine learning technologies, saying, "The semiconductor space offers numerous opportunities for solving complex problems, and Micron is fully leveraging these technologies to drive positive and accelerated impact across all business areas.”

Leveraging People Power

Acknowledging the commitment of the talent resource that contribute to Micron’s leadership in large-scale semiconductor manufacturing and DRAM engineering operations, Venkatraghavan Bringivijayaraghavan, the Senior Director for DRAM Engineering Group at Micron Technology Operations India, shares, "We built this team from the ground up, with a good mix of new college graduates and experienced talent. The team’s accomplishments, including back-to-back designs with zero design issues, highlight their innovative capabilities.” He attributes this success to the diverse talent pool and the implementation of the Banyan Tree learning model, which encourages subject matter expertise and collaboration.

Skilling is another essential facet of Micron Technology Operation India's success. The company employs its skilling efforts at two levels: specific initiatives tailored to Micron’s needs and broader national initiatives. The University Research Alliance at Micron (URAM) currently collaborates with 21 colleges on curriculum, research, internships, and hiring, with over 30% of Micron India employees having joined as NCGs (New College Graduates) over the last 5 years.

Business and Beyond

Embracing its motto - "Fair, Fearless, Fun”, Micron India aims to create a young and vibrant work environment and is dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion. It offers programs like "Return to Work" for women and active hiring for people with disabilities. These initiatives have earned Micron India a spot in the Top 50 for India's Best Workplaces in Manufacturing 2024 by Great Place to Work. This marks Micron’s debut on this esteemed list, while also making it the fourth consecutive year as a Great Place To Work organization.

On the Horizon

Looking ahead, Micron is excited about the future of AI, particularly its applications in edge computing with significant drivers in mobile and automotive sectors. The company’s low-power mobile memory and advanced managed NAND products are already providing unique advantages in flagship smartphones like Samsung’s Galaxy S24 line. The team in India has played a crucial role in developing these products and continues to push the boundaries of innovation.

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