Kolkata-based iMerit has opened in Thimphu, Bhutan, a delivery centre to provide tech-enabled data services for applications in areas like machine learning, computer vision, natural language processing, e-commerce and fintech.
The centre is located at Thimphu TechPark, Bhutan’s first IT Park.
Radha Ramaswami Basu, CEO and founder of iMerit, said Bhutan has a talent pool that is eager to learn and contribute to the global digital technology economy.
“This fits our company’s mission of empowerment, inclusion and diversity,” she said. “Our global customers have reacted enthusiastically to the opportunity to work with the Bhutan team.”
Anupam Biswas, chief delivery officer at iMerit, said the team in Bhutan has already grown to over 120 people, fully skilled in a variety of data services that help train sophisticated algorithms.
“Our trainers have worked closely with them and they have also been trained on our proprietary software systems and quality control processes,” she said.
iMerit was founded as a for-profit social enterprise to help build the digital livelihoods of the future while effecting positive social and economic change. iMerit’s global client list includes online retailers, computer vision startups and innovators in financial services and healthcare.
Application areas for the data work done by iMerit include autonomous vehicles, satellite imagery, medical research, natural language recognition, e-commerce and financial technology.
The company employs over 2,500 people globally with over half being women and over 80% coming from low income families.
Based on the growth of its global customer base, iMerit has strong expansion plans in South Asia. The company plans to further invest in the skill development and growth of its delivery team in Thimphu.
