San Jose, Calif. / Johannesburg, South Africa – April 17, 2019 – Cisco and Dimension Data have announced a new co-innovation agreement, to develop a deeper collaboration environment and framework to jointly solve clients’ business needs. Drawing on their respective core strengths, competencies, and technologies, Cisco and Dimension Data are coming together to provide the scale and market-reach to transform ideas into viable, deployable solutions.

As part of the multi-year agreement, both companies plan to utilize Cisco’s global network of Co-Innovation Centres to drive collaboration in key areas such as 5G, Internet of Things, and Blockchain. Additionally, the two companies will continue to enrich and expand their Connected Conservation program that is leveraging sophisticated solutions to protect and better the planet, endangered animals, and their communities.

Working closely to innovate beyond traditional products to solve business and operational challenges will allow both companies to drive more ambitious projects and outcomes. They share a vision of tapping into their deep pools of existing technology and co-innovating with customers and the broader ecosystem to meet client needs as they arise and deliver enhanced capabilities in an agile fashion.

“This partnership means we’re in a stronger position to research, test and develop new offerings at a speed beyond the traditional market cycle,” said Ettienne Reinecke, Chief Technology Officer, Dimension Data. “By creating a deeper collaboration environment, we will share and leverage our intellectual property, including products and code, allowing us to move faster with a focus on applied innovation to challenge the art of the possible, which will result in some exciting innovations for our clients.”

Cisco’s Chief Technology Officer, Dave Ward added, “Innovation doesn’t happen in a vacuum; it requires diverse skill sets and multiple points of view. Co-innovation as a formal, structured process with our ecosystem, including partners and customers is part of our foundation simply because the market demands it. It’s a way to speed the innovation , allowing us to move at the speed of digital and adopt startup methodologies to bring products and solutions into being.”

Cisco and Dimension Data have over 28 years of experience working together, bringing to market a technology portfolio that offer solutions from the cloud to the data centre, and all the way out to the edge. The focus remains delivering new customer experiences, transforming processes and business models, and empowering workforce innovation.