CXOToday has engaged in an exclusive interview with Mr. Rahul Arora, Chairman and CEO, MPS Limited
- How is MPS Limited evolving its tech capabilities to serve its clients better?
- What are the different technology tools/products/services created in-house/procured as offerings for clients operating in different segments – Research, Education and Corporates?
- How do you foresee technology shaping the future of MPS, and what are the key areas you are focusing on and how are you planning to use technology in a sustainable manner?
- With India preparing for 6G, how does MPS see this changing landscape?
- How does MPS plan to expand its expertise in AI, machine learning, and natural language processing, and what new products or workflow enhancements are you focusing on?
Technology is at the core of everything we do at MPS Limited, and our technological evolution is driven by two key initiatives: MPS Labs and HighWire.
MPS Labs serves as our Research and Development center, where we harness cutting-edge technologies such as AI, machine learning, natural language processing, and cloud-based solutions to build robust, scalable architectures and designs. Our team of over 200 researchers and technical experts is dedicated to pioneering innovative solutions, future-proofing our offerings, and optimizing efficiency. MPS Labs has been instrumental in advancing the application of AI and machine learning in areas like content profiling, workflow routing, and adapting existing products for new applications. Specifically, we have developed AI-driven workflows that enhance accessibility in learning and streamline content development processes for abstracts, summaries, assessments, and learning objectives. Our media asset development capabilities include image creation, image forensics, and video production, culminating in the creation of a Cognitive Quality Model powered by AI.
HighWire, on the other hand, represents our commercial SaaS business, offering a comprehensive suite of products that span the entire digital learning development cycle. With over 300 employees dedicated to product development, engineering, delivery, and support, we are recognized as thought leaders in the industry, facilitating discussions and solving critical challenges. Our product suite encompasses authoring, review, production, dissemination, and evaluation, creating an end-to-end workflow system designed to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and expedite time to market. The modular design allows our solutions to be easily configured to meet the unique workflows of our customers and adapt to the evolving demands of the marketplace. Additionally, our microservice and API-driven architecture ensures seamless integration with third-party tools.
Looking ahead, we foresee technology continuing to play a transformative role at MPS. We are focusing on several key areas, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing to enhance our offerings further. We are actively exploring sustainable technology practices that minimize our environmental impact while maximizing our operational efficiency.
As India prepares for 6G, we believe this emerging landscape presents exciting opportunities for innovation and growth. It will enable us to enhance our digital learning solutions, improve connectivity, and support the delivery of more immersive and interactive learning experiences.
To expand our expertise in AI, machine learning, and natural language processing, we are committed to investing in talent, fostering collaborations with industry leaders, and developing new products and workflow enhancements. By doing so, we aim to remain at the forefront of technological advancements and continue to deliver exceptional value to our clients across research, education, and corporate segments.
- You have invested in immersive learning across Simulations, Serious Games, AR, VR, and emerging technology programs for clients, can you throw some light on the kind of innovation and customization you have created for your clients through such tech innovation and how it has helped streamline their business – few examples?
The immersive learning landscape is rapidly evolving, fueled by advancements in technology and a growing demand for engaging, impactful learning experiences. Combining VR, AR, and MR, XR offers the most immersive experiences, blurring the lines between the physical and virtual worlds. This allows for highly realistic simulations, interactive training scenarios, and realistic problem-solving exercises. AI is driving personalization, adaptive learning paths, and intelligent feedback systems. AI-powered simulations can adapt to learner performance and provide personalized challenges and guidance. The use of game mechanics and design principles is increasingly incorporated into immersive learning experiences to enhance engagement, motivation, and skill retention. Immersive microlearning modules offer bite-sized, focused learning experiences that are easily digestible and retain learner attention.
We have developed advanced simulations for various industries, including healthcare, aviation, and manufacturing. These simulations often leverage VR or AR to provide realistic scenarios for training in complex tasks and procedures. Our gamified learning experiences are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Gamification elements are woven into simulations, VR environments, and even AR experiences, making learning more enjoyable and interactive. We are seamlessly integrating AR and VR into their platforms, offering solutions that enable learners to interact with virtual environments, manipulate 3D objects, and access real-time information overlays. We are embracing experiential learning approaches by incorporating elements of real-world tasks, collaborative learning activities, and interactive storytelling into immersive learning experiences.
Examples:
- VR Training for Healthcare: For medical schools, we are using VR simulations to provide students with realistic surgical training experiences, allowing them to practice procedures without risks or cost associated with physical models.
- AR for Maintenance and Repair: For companies in the manufacturing and automotive industries, we are utilizing XR to guide technicians through complex repairs, providing real-time visual instructions and overlays on their devices.
- Gamified Language Learning: We have powered an immersive language learning platform in integrating game mechanics, such as points, leaderboards, and rewards, into virtual environments to make learning engaging and enjoyable.
The future of immersive learning holds immense potential for transforming education and training. As technology continues to evolve, we can expect even more innovative and personalized learning experiences that cater to the diverse needs of learners across various industries.
- With so many acquisitions in the technology/digital learning segment, how are they benefitting the core business?
Acquisitions are central to our growth strategy at MPS. When evaluating potential acquisition opportunities, we consistently ask how each acquisition will benefit our existing customers. Our focus is not merely on scaling our operations; rather, we aim to enhance our capabilities and offerings. In the initial phase of our acquisitions, we concentrated on advancing our position in the education vertical by investing in product development and establishing ourselves as a comprehensive global partner. Subsequently, we shifted our focus to acquiring SaaS companies, which has significantly improved the quality of our partnerships and the services we provide to our customers. Our series of acquisitions within the corporate learning market was aimed at expanding our total addressable market. More recently, our acquisitions have centered on geographic expansion in the APAC region and enhancing the capabilities of our platform business. Ultimately, our goal is to transform MPS into a robust digital learning platform that serves customers globally. We are committed to continuously adding new capabilities through strategic acquisitions to enhance the efficacy and impact of our consolidated platform. This approach not only strengthens our core business but also ensures we remain at the forefront of the digital learning landscape.
- When it comes to education vertical, where do you think MPS is in the cycle right now, what’s the outlook for that?
MPS is currently in a growth phase, fueled by our ongoing investments in the education vertical. We have successfully unlocked synergies between our eLearning and platform businesses, enabling us to establish a new customer base in the Higher Education and Professional Development sectors. Today, we are proud to support some of the leading educational institutions globally in their efforts to scale online program revenue. Geographically, our expansion efforts have been strong, particularly in the U.S. and Europe. More recently, we have made significant inroads into the APAC region following our acquisitions of EI Design and Liberate Learning. What sets MPS apart is our unique ability to blend strong technical expertise with our extensive experience in content and learning design. While many companies tend to focus on only one of these areas, we provide a comprehensive approach that addresses the diverse needs of our clients. Looking ahead, MPS is optimistic about the education marketplace and is prioritizing this vertical for our next phase of acquisitions. We believe that the combination of our strategic initiatives and market focus will position us well for continued growth in the coming years.
- Investment in SaaS companies has surged from USD 0.8bn in 2018 to USD 6bn in 2022, how is MPS Limited planning to leverage this development?
Since acquiring AJE and the Curie platform earlier this year, 40% of our revenue is now linked to the SaaS business. While platforms have always been a strategic priority, we achieved meaningful scale in this area following our acquisition of HighWire in 2020. This was preceded by our earlier acquisitions of THINK in 2017 and Magplus in 2016, along with the valuable intellectual property inherited from our time with Macmillan. HighWire, established in 1995 as the pioneering independent platform company in the digital learning space, has significantly transformed our identity in the marketplace. Today, our platform offering is central to the solutions we provide to our customers. Our strategy is to position this offering as the cornerstone of our customer partnerships, with additional content and learning solutions delivered alongside. As our SaaS business has expanded over the years, we have realized numerous long-term advantages, including strengthened partnerships, higher quality revenue, and improved visibility into our financial future. This enhanced outlook enables us to invest significantly back into our business. Our customers now view us as a partner that guarantees a “futureproofing” strategy rather than just a service provider—and it is the SaaS business that has facilitated this transformative shift.
The post Driving Innovation and Growth: How MPS Limited is Expanding Tech Capabilities and Leveraging AI, 6G, and Immersive Learning for the Future of Digital Education and Corporate Solutions appeared first on CXOToday.com.