Google X signs MoU with Andhra govt; to set up research facility in Visakhapatnam

Google X, the company’s ‘moonshot’ project, is all ready to set up a development centre in Andhra Pradesh’s Visakhapatnam, it was reported on Thursday.

An Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the government of Andhra Pradesh and Google X in the company’s San Francisco office in the presence of state Information Technology minister Nara Lokesh, and Google X CEO Astro Teller.

Google X to set up its Development Centre in Visakhapatnam, MoU signed between Government of Andhra Pradesh and Google X in San Francisco, USA in the presence of state IT Minister Nara Lokesh and Google X CEO Astro Teller pic.twitter.com/m4NB80UPZA

— ANI (@ANI) December 15, 2017

“Our government is working with Google X towards multitude of development activities,” said Nara Lokesh, after sitting in the famous driverless car in San Francisco.

Google X in its website says its mission is ‘to invent and launch “moonshot” technologies that we hope could someday make the world a radically better place. We have a long way to go before we can fulfill this mission, so today it’s really an ambition.’

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s  Start-Up India initiative, a tie-up with Google X may be the right way forward.  The Government through this initiative aims to empower Startups to grow through innovation and design.

Earlier this year, Alphabet, which not only owns Google but also Google X, which is devoted to creating world-changing new technologies, said that it gave up on its internet drone project, called Titan, about a year ago.

Facebook, too, is continuing to develop an Aquila drone for beaming internet connection from the sky.