Signaling a new chapter for Silicon Valley, two veteran R&D leaders are combining minds to advance and accelerate world-changing science and technology.
SRI International, an independent nonprofit research institute behind countless cutting-edge technological advances, announced today it will receive the Palo Alto Research Center (PARC), a Xerox company and technology pioneer. This combination, the result of a planned donation of PARC and its assets by Xerox to SRI International, brings together two iconic Silicon Valley organizations and will enable SRI to further build, expand, and scale its capabilities among a diverse set of technology and scientific areas.
“Some of the world’s most defining innovations have been fueled by research from pioneering talent at both SRI International and PARC,” said David Parekh, PhD, chief executive officer of SRI International. “SRI International’s rich history combined with PARC’s track record and legacy of breakthrough innovation opens the door to extraordinary new technological advances and the bold impact for which both organizations are known. I am tremendously excited that we are bringing this visionary organization into the SRI family, creating a fusion of innovation icons.”
“At PARC, we have assembled some of the most talented and creative scientists and engineers of our time,” said Naresh Shanker, chief technology officer of Xerox and president and chief executive officer of PARC. “The team is dedicated to developing the most impactful solutions at the intersection of technology, science and innovation. Working alongside the accomplished minds at SRI International will further enable groundbreaking advancements across industries to help address some of the world’s most imminent challenges.”
For nearly 80 years, SRI researchers have led the discovery and design of groundbreaking products, technologies, and industries – collaborating across technical and scientific disciplines and bringing innovations to the marketplace through research as a service, spin-off ventures, new product solutions, and technology licensing. Whether it is through the development and creation of Arpanet, Siri, tele-robotics technologies, or cancer treatments, SRI innovations have touched all our lives and continue to deliver technology to address the world’s most complex and urgent challenges.
This donation will bring to SRI world-class talent, adding to its roster of approximately 1,000 scientists and researchers. These individuals will bolster SRI’s research capabilities in technological areas of longstanding strength for SRI, such as computational design, computer vision, and AI and human-machine collaboration. They will also add expertise in some of SRI’s strategic growth areas, including sustainability and precision medicine.
In bringing together two of the most storied names in Silicon Valley, SRI will expand its Bay Area footprint. SRI will add PARC’s Palo Alto site to its existing campuses in nearby Menlo Park, Calif., as well as in Princeton, N.J., Ann Arbor, Mich., Boulder, Colo., Washington, D.C., and in the Shenandoah Valley.
Founded in 1970 and established as an independent company in 2002, PARC has pioneered numerous technological advancements including Ethernet, laser printing, the graphical user interface, and ubiquitous computing. SRI International and PARC anticipate continuing to collaborate with Xerox to create a joint innovation center dedicated to emerging technologies for the future of work.
“For decades, SRI and PARC have played central roles in the Silicon Valley innovation ecosystem,” added Parekh. “Through this combination, two Silicon Valley leaders will build on their own legacies and together create the next set of technological breakthroughs that will transform our world.”
Originally posted on: SRI.com
