Denmark-based Milestone Systems, a provider of data-driven video technology software, is expanding rapidly in India's enterprise space. The company offers open-platform video management software (VMS) solutions to private and government sectors, focusing on high-tier security and compliance solutions for government agencies.
The company targets critical mid-market and mid-enterprise segments, developing affordable solutions for verticals such as manufacturing, data centres, and critical infrastructure.
"These industries are hungry for technologies that can help push the agenda for less labour-intensive management and enhanced customer experiences," said Malou Toft, VP of APAC at Milestone Systems, in an exclusive interview with AIM.
India's video surveillance market, driven by increasing security concerns, government initiatives like smart cities, and the growing adoption of AI-powered analytics, is experiencing rapid growth and is expected to reach $4.5 billion by 2025.
Untapped Tier 2 & 3 Markets
"India has an absolute size advantage and the sense of scale here is very different," said Manabu Yamazaki, the president & CEO of Canon India (which acquired Milestones in 2014).
Yamazaki emphasised the ongoing "metronisation" of tier 2 and tier 3 cities, which are undergoing a different phase of development. This trend is reflected in the government's ambitious '100 Smart City' project, in which Milestone Systems is actively engaged.
Moreover, he said that the government is committed to infrastructural development, and each state in the country is competing to attract investment and induce economic growth.
Utilising this momentum, Milestone is working with government ministries and enterprise biggies on smart city projects.
The company is also working on novel use cases in townships. Toft cited an example from her hometown, where Milestone is working with a university to predict and prevent dangerous situations along a bustling harbour front using AI algorithms.
"Our AI algorithms are trained to detect jaywalking, drunk walking, and even suicidal behaviour, alerting the command centre when an outlier behaviour is detected," Toft explained.
"This is just one example of how AI can be used in a very use case-driven manner to enhance public safety and security."
Toft also highlighted the company's internal efforts to leverage AI in its development process and the potential impact of generative AI on various industries. "We are probing and trying to figure out how we should use AI, both internally and for our customers," she said.
"It's an era where everyone who is already an adult will be an immigrant to this new type of regime, and we need to adapt and learn quickly to stay on the forefront," she added.
Smart Cities Projects and Competition
The company has a strong foothold in India with a market share of over 20% and is globally a part of the 'Big 3' in the video surveillance software market along with Genetec and Motorola Solutions.
However, Milestone Systems faces stiff competition in the Indian market from both global and local players.
India's Smart Cities Mission has attracted several prominent VMS companies to contribute to urban development initiatives across the country. These companies play a crucial role in implementing advanced surveillance and security solutions as part of the broader smart city ecosystem.
Qognify, stands out as a major player in enterprise-class VMS solutions, claiming to support nearly half of the 44 cities that have launched smart city projects in India.
Their VMS solutions are being implemented across multiple cities, with one notable project in Gujarat expanding from 300 to 7,000 cameras.
Videonetics, a VMS provider which offers video surveillance and security operations solutions, has made significant inroads in several states, including Madhya Pradesh, where they've established 61 command centres, besides a state command centre.
They've also deployed India's first cloud-based smart city project in Cochin using AWS Cloud, and have implemented solutions across 18 cities in Andhra Pradesh as part of the real-time governance system.
ADOR, a VMS systems and other traffic management solutions provider, focusses on major Indian cities, including Mumbai, Pune, Raipur, Nagpur, and Hyderabad, offering smart city solutions that encompass regulation and enforcement cameras with various detection capabilities.
While Wipro is not exclusively a VMS company, it provides integrated public security systems for smart cities, including monitoring solutions.
ADOR, meanwhile, is an Indian company specialising in developing and manufacturing VMS systems and other traffic management solutions. Here's an overview of ADOR's VMS-related products and services:
Their involvement extends to consulting for a large upcoming greenfield industrial city in India. Dell EMC, while not directly implementing VMS solutions, partners with companies like Qognify to provide the underlying infrastructure for these systems in smart city projects.
The smart city initiatives in these locations typically involve a range of technologies beyond just VMS. These include automatic number plate recognition (ANPR), red light violation detection (RLVD), overspeed detection, wrong side vehicle movement detection, and facial recognition technologies.
Many projects also involve the establishment of command centres for centralised monitoring and control. The trend towards cloud deployment of smart city solutions is gaining momentum, as evidenced by the project in Cochin.
Focus on Data Centers & Airports
Toft also emphasised the critical role of video technology in addressing the unique security and operational challenges faced by fast-growing industries like data centres.
"There are many different aspects of a data centre, from basic premise security to highly confidential security zones and cooler systems that must work seamlessly," she explained.
She further added, "Data centres are increasingly being seen as the currency, and the need for more storage and data centres is growing organically across the globe, especially India."
In the transportation sector, particularly airports, Milestone Systems is witnessing a growing demand.
With Delhi ranking as the 9th busiest airport globally, their technology aims to enhance both the traveller experience and operational efficiency.
"We're exploring ways to optimise the passenger journey, from security checkpoints to retail interactions, without compromising on the primary goal of efficient transit. Our solutions can provide insights into passenger flow, spending patterns, and retail engagement, ultimately helping airports like Delhi balance commercial opportunities with seamless travel experience," she said.
Toft also highlighted the advantages of greenfield projects in industries such as transportation, retail, and hospitality, where the absence of legacy systems allows for the adoption of cutting-edge technologies from the ground up.
