The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay in collaboration with FedEx Corporation, marked a major milestone with the inauguration of the IITB–FedEx Centre for Advanced Logistics and Focused Analytics (FedEx ALFA) and the FedEx Lounge for student well-being. The FedEx ALFA Centre is housed within the Department of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research, while the FedEx Lounge, a thoughtfully designed 2,800 sq. ft. student facility is located in the Project Evergreen residential complex on the Powai campus.
FedEx ALPHA Centre
First announced in 2023, the now-operational FedEx ALFA Centre has emerged as a hub for research, innovation, and talent development in the logistics sector. Its mission is to develop data-driven solutions to complex supply chain challenges, nurture next-generation talent, and foster student entrepreneurship. Ongoing research at the Centre spans a wide range of areas, including worker wellness tools, decarbonization of supply chains, air cargo optimization, warehouse automation, digital twins, cold chain monitoring, and predictive analytics.
FedEx ALFA has awarded over 20 fellowships to MTech and PhD students, and currently supports eight active research projects. Through its IDEAS programme, more than 160 students have benefited from structured mentorship and microgrants, with several receiving additional pre-incubation funding. The Centre also remains actively engaged in innovation platforms such as Eureka! and the Inter-IIT Tech Meet, where it presents logistics-themed challenges to students across the IIT ecosystem, fostering creative problem-solving and industry-oriented thinking.
“FedEx ALFA exemplifies the kind of purposeful collaboration that IIT Bombay strives for,” said Prof. Shireesh Kedare, Director, IIT Bombay adding, “It brings together our research strengths and the global logistics experience of FedEx to create actionable solutions with long-term impact. Just as importantly, it offers our students the chance to work on real-world problems with the potential for scale”.
Speaking on the collaboration, Kami Viswanathan, President of the Middle East, Indian Subcontinent and Africa (MEISA) region at FedEx said, “Our collaboration with IIT Bombay is a futuristic step toward shaping the next generation of logistics more intelligent, more sustainable, and built for a connected global economy. At FedEx, we’re committed to advancing the industry through innovation that creates meaningful local impact and drives global progress”.
