New Mumbai-based lab merges design, technology, and culture to drive purpose-led innovation across industries
Mumbai, July 2025: Global marketing and innovation leader Dentsu has officially launched Dentsu Lab in India, marking a strategic expansion of its global innovation ecosystem. The new Lab in Mumbai joins the existing network of innovation hubs in Tokyo, London, and Warsaw, reinforcing Dentsu’s commitment to blending creativity, technology, and cultural insight to deliver impact-driven solutions for brands and society.
Founded in 2014 by Yasuharu Sasaki, Global Chief Creative Officer at dentsu, Dentsu Lab has consistently redefined innovation by pushing the boundaries of AI, immersive technologies, and human-centered design. With the India launch, the Lab recognizes the country’s cultural depth, technical excellence, and creative talent, making it a pivotal hub for driving business transformation and societal value creation.
Yasuharu Sasaki emphasized the Lab’s human-centric approach:
> “Innovation is not about speed or scale alone but about purpose. India’s strength lies in its harmony of emotional insight, cultural richness, and technical excellence. With Dentsu Lab in India, we are creating innovation that is grounded in humanity and designed to serve both business and society with lasting impact.”
The Lab’s Indian launch showcases globally acclaimed and locally developed prototypes. From Tokyo, Tokonoma, an AI-powered installation transforming handcrafted pottery into real-time music, and Unlabeled, a fashion-tech innovation challenging AI surveillance bias, were unveiled. From India, homegrown innovations include Garuda Rakshak, a drone-powered public safety solution; Motorola Deep Connect, addressing remote connectivity gaps through emotionally intelligent design; and the Unfiltered History Tour, an AR-powered museum experience subverting colonial narratives.
Gurbaksh Singh, Chief Creative Officer & Chief Innovation Officer – South Asia, dentsu, will lead the Lab’s innovation agenda in India.
> “We are not here to theorize innovation; we are here to build it—fast, bold, and with intent. At Dentsu Lab India, every challenge is a live brief, and every prototype is designed to make a measurable difference,” Singh said.
Amit Wadhwa, CEO, Dentsu Creative & Media Brands, South Asia, and Narayan Devanathan, President & Chief Strategy Officer, dentsu South Asia, highlighted India’s unique contribution:
> “India blends logic with intuition, tech with touch, data with empathy. With brilliant engineers, designers, and storytellers, Dentsu Lab in India will be a crucible of possibility, building solutions that are intelligent, inclusive, and impactful.”
The Lab will operate dedicated spaces in Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Gurgaon, offering clients a platform to co-create, prototype, and scale innovations. Its capabilities span AI, AR/VR/MR, IoT, immersive installations, gaming, retail innovation, product design, data visualization, and rapid prototyping, enabling brands to move confidently from ‘WHAT NOW?’ to ‘WHAT NEXT?’
About Dentsu Lab
Dentsu Lab is the global innovation solution of dentsu, designed to create human-centered experiences that move hearts, impact businesses, and shape a better society. Operating in Tokyo, London, Warsaw, and now India, the Lab connects emerging technologies with cultural insights to deliver transformative solutions across industries.