Dentsu has announced the launch of Dentsu Lab in India, expanding its global innovation network into the Indian market. The lab was officially launched in Mumbai on 15 July, with additional physical spaces now operational in Bengaluru and Gurgaon. This move brings India into Dentsu's existing network of labs located in Tokyo, London, and Warsaw.
Founded in 2014 by Dentsu’s Global Chief Creative Officer Yasuharu Sasaki, Dentsu Lab focuses on combining technology and human-centred design to address business challenges and deliver solutions with broader societal applications. The India launch is aligned with Dentsu’s global strategy to strengthen its presence in markets where business, technology, and culture intersect.
“At its core, Dentsu Lab is dentsu’s innovation solution - created to design human experiences that move hearts, impact business, and shape a better society. With the launch in India, dentsu is deepening that commitment. The Lab offers clients in the region and beyond a powerful new platform to shape the future of their industries. It brings together emerging technology, culturally rooted creativity, and human-centred thinking. The India launch also reinforces dentsu’s global ‘Innovate to Impact’ brand proposition, helping brands move faster - with purpose and precision,” stated the press release.
Gurbaksh Singh, Chief Creative Officer & Chief Innovation Officer - South Asia, dentsu, will lead the initiative in India. He will work with clients, startups, and partners to develop solutions grounded in user insight and designed for scalability.
To coincide with the launch, Dentsu Lab in India showcased several global and local prototypes. These include Tokonoma, an AI-powered installation that transforms handcrafted Japanese pottery into real-time music, and Unlabeled, a fashion-tech concept that uses camouflage to evade AI surveillance. Local projects include Garuda Rakshak, a drone-based public safety solution; Motorola Deep Connect, aimed at addressing remote connectivity gaps through emotionally aware technology; and the Unfiltered History Tour, an augmented reality museum experience focused on alternative historical narratives.
Yasuharu Sasaki commented, “Innovation, at its best, is not driven by speed or scale alone, but by purpose. In a world where technology is accelerating rapidly, we must not forget that true progress begins with understanding people. We believe every idea must begin with empathy because when we place human needs at the centre, we create solutions that are not only intelligent, but deeply meaningful. India holds a special strength - a harmony of emotional insight, cultural richness, and technical excellence. With Dentsu Lab in India, we are bringing this strength into our global network. Together, we will create innovation that is grounded in humanity and designed to serve both business and society with lasting impact.”
Dentsu Lab provides a research and development service that links technology and context across touchpoints including events, gaming, installations, retail, product development, data visualisation, AI, IoT, prototyping, and extended realities (AR, VR, MR). It operates across industries, combining expertise from technologists, designers, strategists, and cultural researchers.
Amit Wadhwa, CEO, Dentsu Creative & Media Brands, South Asia, dentsu, and Narayan Devanathan, President & Chief Strategy Officer, dentsu South Asia, jointly said, “Throughout history, India has stood at the crossroads of imagination and invention. From ancient knowledge systems to modern engineering marvels, India brings something truly special to the Lab - the ability to blend logic with intuition, tech with touch, data with empathy. Our culture teaches us to see the world not just as it is, but as it could be. With brilliant engineers, thoughtful designers, academics, and storytellers around us, we believe Dentsu Lab in India will be a crucible of possibility; a world where ideas come to life with purpose and humility.
“It is our promise to our clients and partners that here in India, innovation will not only be efficient, but empathetic. Not only intelligent, but inclusive. And through the Lab, we will build solutions that uplift industries, inspire people, and improve the world around us,” they reiterated.
Gurbaksh Singh added, “We are not here to theorise about innovation. We are here to build it - fast, bold, and with intent. At Dentsu Lab in India, every challenge is a live brief, and every prototype a shot at solving something real. We draw from India’s first-mover mindset and a strong foundation in creative R&D to engineer ideas rooted in human connection and cultural relevance. From drones for public safety to emotional tech that bridges remote gaps, to wearables that push back against machine bias - everything we create exists to make a measurable difference. This Lab gives our ideas the tools, the talent, and the freedom to grow. We keep it simple, but we don’t think small. Our strength lies in blending creative ingenuity with emerging technology to deliver outcomes that create meaningful change, not eventually, but now.”
Dentsu Lab in India will operate as a platform for collaboration, allowing clients to work with experts in design, coding, data, and culture. The Lab aims to support industry-wide change through prototyping and applied research and development.
