How One Bold Move Changed the Course of Innovation at Informatica: The Untold Story of Informatica's iLabs

Two decades ago, when Informatica opened its first office outside Silicon Valley in Bangalore, India, it was with the vision of building an innovation center and not offshoring. We were drawn to the region’s vibrant potential, abundant in technical talent and fresh ideas. Hence, we called it Innovation Labs, or iLabs.

Today, as we mark the 20th anniversary of iLabs we reflect on its incredible journey and pivotal role in Informatica’s global innovation network. What started in Bangalore has grown to include Hyderabad and Chennai. With nearly half of our 5000+ Informaticans now based in India, iLabs plays a key role in driving progress across our business.

iLabs is deeply rooted in the core DATA values that guide Informatica: Do Good, Act as One Team, Think Customer-First and Aspire and Innovate. These principles are woven into the fabric of our daily work, driving meaningful progress and fostering a strong, cohesive culture.

From the outset, iLabs has focused on a people-first approach, emphasizing employee well-being and meaningful community engagement. This is reflected in locally tailored benefits, which are regularly reviewed and updated, including the recent addition of onsite doctors at all offices. In line with our commitment to health equity, we've also introduced breast cancer screening camps—a vital service rarely offered by employers in the region.

Building on this foundation, iLabs has collaborated with over a hundred local post-secondary institutions, including female-only colleges, to welcome hundreds of interns and involved tens of thousands in innovative programs like coding challenges.

This broader commitment to responsibility was especially evident when COVID-19 struck India. iLabs teams swiftly organized grassroots efforts to deliver life-saving oxygen concentrators and cylinders to local hospitals—critical equipment for patients struggling to breathe on their own. Additionally, through a partnership with HelpAge India Foundation, iLabs has facilitated 1,500 cataract surgeries, helping to restore vision to underserved seniors in Karnataka.

Our offices—from Bangalore to California, Dublin to Tokyo—operate as a cohesive team, not as isolated outposts. Despite being a global company with over 5,000 employees, Informaticans frequently highlight that what sets our culture apart is open communication, collaboration and accessibility to our most senior leadership, making them feel connected and part of something larger.

Today, iLabs India includes a range of business units—spanning Product Development, Customer Success, HR, Sales, Marketing, Finance and Operations—functioning much like its own headquarters. This unique model ensures that innovation and growth are driven globally across the entire organization, interconnected and collaborating closely to drive the company forward.

Our ongoing global achievements in product innovation, customer support and market leadership are consistently validated by top industry analysts and groups, including recent recognition from Gartner, Forrester, IDC, JD Power and more. Our team's achievements, fueled by this unity and collaboration, fill me with immense pride as I reflect on all we've accomplished together.

At iLabs, as in all our offices, our top priority is simple: ensuring our customers achieve success.

One standout example is Cassini, an analytics platform developed entirely at iLabs. Using AI and machine learning, Cassini tackles critical aspects of Informatica's customer journey, including spend and product usage. The platform has become an indispensable tool for our teams across renewals, customer success, global customer support, pre-sales and product management, playing a pivotal role in putting customers at the heart of our work.

Cassini’s impact is reflected by its recognition in the industry, earning two TSIA (Technology & Services Industry Association) awards and securing a patent for its innovative customer health score algorithm.

From day one, Informatica’s vision for iLabs was bold and forward-thinking, reflecting our core value of Aspire and Innovate. Departing from the conventional playbook, iLabs adopted a fresh approach to running a technology business in the region—one that emphasized creativity, built cross-functional teams, set a higher standard for community engagement and empowered the talented individuals who drive our work forward.

The strategy paid off. What began as a small R&D team has evolved into a key development hub, responsible for driving products like the CLAIRE AI platform and Data Catalog— cornerstones of Informatica's business.

iLabs represents more than a milestone in our growth—it is a living example of how Informatica’s core values are realized on the ground and a model that influences how we operate globally.

Transformation has always driven Informatica’s journey as we continue to redefine how data is managed and harnessed in an AI-driven world, shaping the future of our industry.

The path ahead demands even bolder steps—more innovation, deeper collaboration and fearless thinking. Through it all, our DATA values will remain our steady compass, guiding us with purpose and integrity through every challenge and unlocking new possibilities.

The iLabs team celebrating the kickoff event for the 20th anniversary.