Ushering in a new era of social impact in India: Mumbai joins Cisco’s 40 Communities initiative

We’re proud to share that Mumbai has been selected as the newest site — and our first international location — in Cisco’s 40 Communities initiative. This announcement builds on more than three decades of partnership and purpose-driven innovation in India, marking an exciting new chapter in our shared journey to Power an Inclusive Future for All.

For 30 years, India has been central to Cisco’s story. Our commitment to building critical infrastructure, advancing security and AI capabilities, and accelerating digital skills has grown alongside the country’s remarkable economic transformation in support of the Government of India’s growth and development priorities. Since 2015, we’ve collaborated with our partners across government, academia, and nonprofits to positively impact more than 50 million lives in India — a tremendous milestone we reached earlier this year.

Now, we’re building on that foundation in a fundamentally new way. As India’s financial capital, Mumbai is the economic engine of Maharashtra, India’s second-most populous state. Mumbai’s economic significance and diverse talent pool coupled with Cisco’s longstanding partnerships made it the right choice as the second community — and first international market — in our 40 Communities initiative.

An integrated approach to transformation: What 40 Communities means for Mumbai

40 Communities represents our next big ambition: a 10-year commitment to engage, support, and invest in 40 communities around the world, bringing together Cisco’s technology, global reach, and trusted partnerships to build connected, resilient communities where everyone can thrive.

What sets this ambition apart is our commitment to a proximate, community-centric approach. We start by listening to understand key needs, opportunities, and existing successful solutions. Working shoulder to shoulder with local leaders and partner organizations, we will partner with the community to co-create a set of integrated solutions that reflect what communities tell us they need the most. By weaving together our expertise across workforce development, connectivity, and security, we help drive coordinated action that delivers exponential impact and lasting change.

For Mumbai, this integrated approach aims to address the most pressing needs and unlock its greatest opportunities. Alongside government leaders, industry partners, academic institutions, and community organizations, we’re initially focused on three areas where Cisco’s capabilities can drive the greatest impact: expanding access to skills in cybersecurity, AI, and networking; supporting startups and small businesses; and building cyber resilience.

Skills training at scale

In partnership with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), we’re launching the Cisco Centre of Excellence for AI, Networking, and Entrepreneurship. Located at CII’s Multi-Skill Training Institute and Model Career Centre in Mumbai, the Centre aims to train 100,000 students over three years through in-person and hybrid programs. The physical space includes hybrid classrooms, innovation zones, and a fully equipped makerspace — a collaborative workshop where students can prototype, experiment, and build with emerging technologies — focused on developing the AI and networking skills employers are seeking.

We’re also expanding Cisco Networking Academy across degree colleges, technical institutes, and polytechnics throughout Maharashtra, providing access to courses in cybersecurity, AI, networking, and data analytics.

Through our longstanding collaboration with NIIT Foundation, we’re scaling AI and cybersecurity training, aiming to reach 2.7 million people across India by 2028, including 100,000 in Maharashtra. This builds on our Cyber Suraksha program, which has already helped more than one million people learn cybersecurity skills to navigate an increasingly digital world.

Supporting startups and small businesses

In partnership with Dr. D. Y. Patil College of Engineering and Innovation in Pune—Maharashtra’s second-largest city, about 150 kilometers southeast of Mumbai—we’re establishing an EDGE Center, a hub designed to expand access to digital training, hands-on technology, and entrepreneurial support. The center will equip learners, startups, and small businesses across the state with Cisco’s technologies, training, and mentorship to strengthen local innovation and economic opportunity.

We’re also launching an urban tech accelerator with Villgro Innovation Foundation focused on tech-enabled solutions for water and waste management, one of Mumbai’s most pressing challenges. Participating startups will work directly with Cisco technical experts for support in security, system integration, and cloud optimization.

What connects all of this work is people. Across all three focus areas, we’re creating meaningful opportunities for Cisco employees to engage directly with these initiatives. Our team members will provide mentorship to students at the CII Centre, offer technical guidance to startups in the accelerator programs, and support government officials in building cyber response capabilities. These connections create pathways not just for skills transfer, but for the kind of learning and relationship-building that strengthens both our business and the communities we serve.

Shared vision, lasting impact: Co-creating solutions for a brighter tomorrow

Thirty years of partnership in India and 50 million lives positively impacted over the last decade alone have reinforced a simple truth: when we listen to communities, work alongside them, and co-create solutions, technology becomes a catalyst for opportunity, innovation, and resilience.

Mumbai, as the second location under our 40 Communities initiative, represents the next chapter in this story, offering a blueprint for how integrated, tech-enabled solutions can address systemic challenges at scale. We’ll be working closely with our partners to refine and launch these initiatives, measure impact, and share what we learn.

As we usher in this new era of social impact and bring our Purpose of Powering an Inclusive Future for All to life in Mumbai and beyond, we’re not just investing in technology. We’re investing in people, in partnerships, and in the belief that when business and communities thrive, we all move forward together.