Long-time Microsoft partner Technosoft announced Monday it has opened a new “co-engineering” lab in Bellevue, Wash., strengthening its ties with the Redmond tech giant.
Engineers in the 3,000-square-foot lab just down the road from Microsoft’s campus will test and develop new capabilities for Microsoft’s “unified communications” programs, like Skype for Business.
“We believe Microsoft has a powerful Skype for Business platform that is a clear marketplace winner and will drive how businesses collaborate. What we’re working on with them is a single platform for calling, conference, and video sharing that creates functionality and efficiencies,” Richard Penington, CEO of Technosoft, said in an interview with GeekWire.
Technosoft will also work with Microsoft partners, to make sure third-party technology built on top of Microsoft programs lives up to quality standards. The lab should also help speed up new product development and ensure that programs work well across various devices.
Technosoft is based in Michigan, and it does application development, product management and testing. The company is also growing locally. Its Bellevue office today numbers about 50 people, and Technosoft is planning to hire an additional 100 engineers and supporting employees in the next year or so. Worldwide, Technosoft has more than 4,000 employees.
Microsoft’s partnership with Technosoft goes back to 2003, when the firm started working on a conferencing program called Roundtable. Since then, Technosoft has contributed to many of Microsoft’s biggest products.
“We are absolutely honored that all the products which we helped develop for Microsoft are currently at each and every desk of 130,000 (Microsoft) employees. Whenever they pick up the phone or run a conference, our engineers have a contribution in terms of both the coding and testing,” said Dave Das, associate vice president of the western region for Technosoft.
Technosoft also announced it is opening a 15,000 square feet co-engineering lab in Bangalore, India to work with the Skype for Business product engineering team, as well as partners and partners and clients. Penington said Technosoft has seven offices in India.
