Unilever to invest €40 million in India R&D and bio-futures innovation

A pedestrian walks past the Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) headquarters in Mumbai. | Photo Credit: Reuters Unilever will invest €40 million in India to strengthen its research and development (R&D) capabilities and accelerate innovation in biosciences, biotechnology and AI-led product development, reinforcing the country’s position as a key global research hub for the consumer goods major.The investment includes an additional €35 million to transform its Mumbai and Bengaluru R&D centres into a next-generation research and innovation ecosystem, along with €5 million over five years for a strategic Bio-Futures partnership to connect Unilever’s global R&D capabilities with India’s expanding bioscience ecosystem.The €35 million investment builds on more than €20 million invested over the past five years in facilities and capabilities such as the Liquids Lab of the Future, Unilever Fragrance House, Advanced Manufacturing Centre for Bars, Packaging and Flexibles Design Lab, and AI and digital modelling platforms.India is among Unilever’s largest global R&D hubs, bringing together more than 800 scientists, researchers, digital specialists and designers across its Mumbai and Bengaluru facilities.The Mumbai centre will be developed into a new Product Innovation Centre, integrating AI-powered insights, product and format science, packaging design, rapid prototyping, scale-up capabilities and market-facing deployment.The Bengaluru centre will evolve into a Global Science, Technology and Partnership Hub, focusing on foundational and applied science, digital and AI capabilities, India Foods R&D, and collaborations with academic institutions, start-ups and Unilever’s global innovation network.Across both centres, AI, automated and collaborative robot-powered experimentation, predictive modelling and digital twins will help researchers accelerate product development and translate ideas into scalable innovations.The separate €5 million Bio-Futures partnership will bring together scientific institutions, start-ups, advanced infrastructure and talent to drive innovation in human biology, microbiome science, biotechnology, biomanufacturing and digital and AI-enabled biology.Richard Slater, Chief Research and Development Officer, Unilever, said, “India is a critical global R&D center for Unilever. This investment will enable a more connected way of innovating, bringing together science, insights, design, digital technology, AI, rapid prototyping and scale-up capabilities.”“By connecting Unilever with India’s world-class bioscience ecosystem, we can harness complementary science, capabilities and partnerships to accelerate the next generation of Bio-Futures innovation for India and the world,” he said.Priya Nair, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Hindustan Unilever Ltd, said, “India’s emergence as a global innovation powerhouse presents an extraordinary opportunity. As one of the world’s fastest-growing large economies, we see significant potential to bring world-class, science-led innovation to Indian consumers.”“This investment reinforces Unilever R&D’s long-standing commitment to India and its confidence in the country’s scientific talent, capabilities, innovation ecosystem and India’s emerging position in bio sciences and bio manufacturing,” she said. Published - November 04, 2026 06:30 pm IST