SMEs to benefit as US’s Netgear opens software centre in Chennai

CHENNAI: Netgear, a California-based networking equipment company, has expanded its footprint in India with the opening of a new software development centre in Chennai, a move it says will accelerate its push into AI-powered and cloud-based solutions for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).

The announcement follows Netgear’s acquisition of local software firm VAAG Systems, whose engineers and intellectual property will form the foundation of the new centre. The company plans to more than triple the size of the team over the next 18 months, with over 100 new employees expected to join the Chennai office.

“Small businesses want enterprise-grade reliability without enterprise-grade complexity,” said Pramod Badjate, president and general manager of Netgear’s business division. “Our investment in AI and software is about simplifying that experience - making powerful networks work intuitively and reliably, without a steep learning curve,” he said.

Founded in 1996, Netgear has traditionally been known for its consumer and prosumer networking devices. But as businesses increasingly shift to hybrid work environments and cloud-managed networks, the company is recalibrating its strategy to cater to SME customers who demand scalable, user-friendly connectivity, a release said.

While the company has not disclosed the value of the VAAG deal, executives said the acquisition is primarily talent- and-IP-driven, aimed at speeding up innovation cycles.

For Chennai - already home to development hubs for major tech firms like Zoho, Freshworks, and Cisco - the arrival of Netgear adds further momentum to its emergence as a key node in India’s AI and cloud innovation ecosystem.