Published in News

Microsoft closes R&D

by on19 September 2014

Everything has been invented

Software giant Microsoft will close its Silicon Valley research-and-development operation as part of 2,100 layoffs announced on Thursday.

The move is part of its Satya Nadella's goal of cutting 18,000 staff, or about 14 percent of its workforce, it will mean that 50 people will lose their jobs.

A spokesman said Microsoft Research, which has over 1,000 scientists and engineers worldwide working on new product ideas, will consolidate its US work at Microsoft's main campus in Redmond, Washington, and in offices in New York and Boston.

Although Microsoft did not say it, there does not appear to be any point doing any R&D work in Silicon Valley, and the region is pretty expensive to work in.

Microsoft is cutting 160 jobs in California on Thursday, and another 747 in the Seattle area, a spokesman said, as part of a total of 2,100 layoffs around the world.

This is the second wave of cuts after it laid off 13,000 in July, which marked the start of Chief Executive Satya Nadella's plan to lay off 18,000 people overall. That means 2,900 more layoffs coming over the next nine months or so.

Rate this item
(0 votes)

Read more about: