R&D center in Bucharest takes Intel’s headcount to 350

Intel officially inaugurated the R&D center in Romania yesterday, initially announced at the end of 2010, after “multi-million USD investment,” with ambitions to develop it into one of the most important R&D software centers in Europe.

The inauguration was attended by Mihai Razvan Ungureanu- Romania’s prime-minister, Razvan Mustea-Serban- the minister of communications, Doug Fisher- the vice-president Software and Services Group and GM of Intel’s System Software Division, as well as Monica Ene-Pietrosanu- Intel Romania country manager.

“Romania is a regional hub in IT&C and the opening of this center represents acknowledgement of Romanians’ technical creativity,” said Ungureanu. “In 2010, the contribution of the IT sector represented 5 percent of Romania’s GDP. There are 116,000 employees in IT, who represent a young but economically mature generation,” said Ungureanu.

The American corporation had just 10 employees in Romania in 2010 when the opening of the center was announced. However, now that the center is completely functional, the number of Intel’s employees in Romania has reached 350. The center, with a surface of 3,700 sqm, including a server laboratory, currently employs 75 people, but can accommodate up to 180.

The R&D center now includes three divisions: Open Source Technology Center, Platform Technology & Analysis Center and Developer Platform Division. It will collaborate with other similar Intel units in Europe. At the moment, the Intel Labs Europe network includes 26 locations in 12 countries, and 1,500 employees.

“The opening of the Intel center in Romania is a very strong signal that Romania is ready to take the step from the software plant to the R&D center,” said Mustea. “We can reverse the brain-drain process. The message is that well-paid jobs are coming to Romania,” said minister Mustea.

“We have very well-trained graduates, who soeak foreign languages, a competitive IT&C environment and tradition, since tens of thousands of Romanians work in IT companies all over the world. The rate of unemployment in this field is nearly inexistent, because most graduates are absorbed by the market,” added Mustea.

Apart from the R&D center, Intel acquired two companies on the Romanian market, Wind River and Telmap, as well as having a local sales& marketing office.

Otilia Haraga