In a bold move signaling India’s growing stature in the global innovation landscape, Dentsu has officially launched its Dentsu Lab in Mumbai. This marks a strategic expansion of the Japanese advertising and communications giant’s global innovation network into one of the fastest-growing and most culturally dynamic markets in the world.
With this launch, India joins a select group of innovation hubs—alongside Tokyo, London, and Warsaw—tasked with pushing the boundaries of what’s possible when creativity, technology, and purpose converge.
A New Kind of Innovation Hub
The Dentsu Lab is not just another R&D centre. Founded in 2014 by Yasuharu Sasaki, Global Chief Creative Officer at dentsu, the Lab has been globally recognised for its human-centric approach to innovation. Over the years, it has produced a string of award-winning prototypes—many of which have combined AI, immersive tech, and design thinking to solve real-world problems.
Now, with its entry into India, the Lab is positioning itself at the intersection of technology and cultural insight. The goal is clear: to build solutions that are emotionally intelligent, technologically advanced, and socially relevant.
“India holds a special strength—a harmony of emotional insight, cultural richness, and technical excellence,” said Sasaki at the Mumbai launch event. “With Dentsu Lab in India, we are bringing this strength into our global network.”
Leading the Charge: Gurbaksh Singh
At the helm of the India Lab is Gurbaksh Singh, dentsu South Asia’s Chief Creative Officer and Chief Innovation Officer. Known for championing experimentation and purposeful design, Singh is setting an ambitious tone.
“We are not here to theorise about innovation. We are here to build it—fast, bold, and with intent,” he said. “Every challenge is a live brief. Every prototype is a shot at solving something real.”
Prototypes That Speak Volumes
To underscore its mission, Dentsu Lab showcased a mix of global and local prototypes at the launch—each demonstrating the Lab’s experimental ethos.
From Tokyo came Tokonoma, an AI-driven installation that translates the art of Japanese pottery into music, and Unlabeled, a fashion-tech project using camouflage to escape AI surveillance—an artistic commentary on machine bias.
But it was the Indian prototypes that stole the show.
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Garuda Rakshak, a drone-based public safety initiative
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Motorola Deep Connect, an emotionally intelligent tech concept designed to bridge remote connectivity gaps
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Unfiltered History Tour, an augmented reality experience that reimagines colonial narratives in museums, recently acclaimed on the global awards circuit
These aren’t just tech showcases—they’re commentaries on the society we live in, and the one we aspire to build.
Innovation Rooted in Empathy
The message from dentsu’s leadership was consistent: innovation must be rooted in empathy.
“In a world where technology is accelerating rapidly, we must not forget that true progress begins with understanding people,” Sasaki said. “When we place human needs at the centre, we create solutions that are not only intelligent, but deeply meaningful.”
This human-first philosophy aligns seamlessly with dentsu’s global brand proposition: Innovate to Impact. It’s a reminder that innovation isn’t just about velocity or novelty—it’s about purpose and effect.
India as a Crucible of Possibility
Amit Wadhwa, CEO of Dentsu Creative & Media Brands South Asia, and Narayan Devanathan, President & Chief Strategy Officer, dentsu South Asia, jointly reflected on India’s enduring spirit of ingenuity.
“India has always stood at the crossroads of imagination and invention,” they said in a joint statement. “From ancient knowledge systems to modern-day engineering marvels, our culture teaches us to blend logic with intuition, tech with touch, and data with empathy.”
They see the Lab as a place where “innovation will not only be efficient, but empathetic. Not only intelligent, but inclusive.”
More Than a Space—A Platform
Dentsu Lab India is already operational across three cities—Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Gurgaon. But these aren’t just physical labs—they’re creative ecosystems built for rapid ideation and prototyping.
With capabilities spanning AI, IoT, data visualisation, gaming, immersive installations, retail innovation, product development, and more, the Lab will serve as a platform for clients and partners to co-create the future—today.
For dentsu, this is more than a geographic expansion. It’s a strategic bet on India’s unique ability to marry cultural wisdom with technological agility. The Lab is designed to help brands move from “What now?” to “What next?”—a shift from reactive solutions to proactive, future-facing thinking.
