Cognizant opens global tech, innovation hub in Colorado

Teaneck-based Cognizant announced Thursday it has officially opened the Cognizant Accelerator global technology center and innovation hub in Boulder, Colorado.

“We are thrilled to welcome the Cognizant Accelerator global technology hub to Boulder and I thank Cognizant for their investment in Colorado’s technology community and the people of our state,” Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said. “We are proud of how Colorado has become a home for top technology companies and startups alike.”

Cognizant Accelerator, the company’s incubator and venture capital division, creates new technology concepts and invest in emerging early-stage startups, Cognizant said.

Most recently, Cognizant Accelerator played a key role in developing Cognizant’s artificial intelligence, block chain and Internet of Things offerings as well as launching two new life sciences products.

“Having our center in Boulder enables us to capitalize on the region’s rich, dynamic talent base of experienced tech professionals,” Todd Paoletti, vice president and general manager, Cognizant Accelerator, said. “We’re thrilled to be a part of this thriving hot spot for innovation with one of the highest densities of startups in the U.S.  This ready access to talented people, combined with a thriving innovation community, allows us to even better prepare to respond to our clients’ needs in the era of lean, agile, development.”

Cognizant said it currently has a workforce in Colorado of approximately 1,400, nearly doubling its presence in the state over the past five years.

Colorado is home to a number of our clients, and we expect to continue to grow and invest here as both our development needs and client needs increase.  We look forward to working with Gov. Polis and his team,” Sean Middleton, president, Cognizant Accelerator, said. “Boulder, in particular, has established itself as a vibrant tech community, an ecosystem of educational institutions, startups and companies where innovation is flourishing.  It’s an ideal environment for Cognizant Accelerator and the work we do in finding, fueling, engineering and running the groundbreaking ideas that are helping businesses around the world successfully transform to compete and win in the digital age.”