A New Chapter for Velocix in India

In January 2019, Lumine Group acquired Nokia’s IP Video Business Unit, Velocix. Velocix is headquartered in the UK, with offices in India, USA, and Portugal.

At the time of the acquisition, Velocix’s Indian operations were in the Nokia office in the southern city of Chennai. Upon acquisition by Lumine Group, Velocix had an exciting opportunity to set up a new Indian office that was standalone in a nearby location in Chennai itself. Having their own space would allow the company to forge its own path forward by designing an office that is reflective of the company’s new brand identity.

After several months of searching for the right space, Velocix found an opportunity in TICEL BioPark in Tharamani, Chennai – an area known for its bustling IT community. The office space is a 22,000 square foot blank canvas, with a view overlooking the Bay of Bengal. It provided the perfect opportunity to start fresh, but it needed a lot of work.

The new office project was led by Velocix’s Director of R&D and Operations, Vijay Mudakkayil, and Velocix’s General Manager of India, Madhu Kumar Krishnan. With support from Lumine Group, Madhu and Vijay worked with a number of vendors to design, build, furnish, and create a new home for Velocix. In just 12 weeks, the office was constructed and ready for move-in.

See Velocix’s new Chennai office come to life – watch the transformation video.

In late July 2019, the new office opened with a spectacular inauguration celebration. The celebration featured speakers from both Velocix and Lumine Group’s leadership teams and a ribbon-cutting ceremony. All team members were invited to take part in the celebrations filled with singing and dancing.

Building a Brand Identity

Upon acquisition, Velocix started a new chapter under Lumine Group. As part of this new chapter, finding a new home that encapsulated Velocix’s brand was important to symbolize their new chapter and build a sense of autonomy. “We’re bringing in a new office culture which is aligned with Velocix values,” says Vijay. “When working for a large corporation like Nokia, influences are built on their company history. With a new office, we were able to break out on our own and build a more start-up, smaller-company culture that is reflective of Velocix,” says Vijay.

The building’s exterior features an illuminated Velocix logo at the top of the building, and throughout the entire office, the Velocix branding is strong. The intent of this cohesive branding is to build unity and a sense of pride among Velocix employees.

“This moment where we move from the Nokia office into the Velocix office is a transformation,” says Madhu. “We are building the mindset and culture of our high-performance team.”

Fueling Collaboration

The Chennai office will be the headquarters of Velocix’s research and development department. Madhu and Vijay’s team conducted research to understand what kind of work environment would be most effective in driving relationships and encouraging collaboration.

As a result of their research, they decided to go with an open-concept office. The space features rows of open desks, multiple meeting rooms, and break-out areas to encourage in-person meetings, brainstorms, and relationship building.

Lumine Group’s Role

Lumine Group believes in allowing acquired businesses to run autonomously. For Velocix, a new office space built around the vision of their leadership team would empower them to feel ownership over their new chapter. “You’re accountable for your business and performance, but you’re free to operate as you’d like,” says Vijay.

Madhu and Vijay put together a design goal and shared it with the Lumine team. President, David Nyland, and CFO, Birgit Troy, provided a budget and timeline for the team to work within, as well as guidance and resources to support the development. The teams had frequent check-ins as development progressed, and David supported the final contract negotiations. “Overall, the experience was fantastic,” says Vijay. “Though we were a new team, David and Birgit empowered us to build out our vision.”

Velocix also received legal support from the Lumine team. From reviewing real estate contracts to employment contracts, Lumine Group’s legal counsel kept the process moving smoothly and on-time.

What’s Next for Velocix in Chennai?

Vijay and Madhu developed an office vision that was built on principles of collaboration, comfort, and brand identity. As the Chennai team settles into their new office, they will continue focusing on collaboration and building the Velocix brand. The office is currently home to 155 research and development team members – with space to grow.

Congratulations to Madhu, Vijay, and the Velocix Chennai team on entering this new chapter in their company’s lifecycle.