Two years ago as part of IBM "Innovation Jam," the largest online brainstorm ever held, more than 150,000 people from over 100 countries converged to discuss ways in which technology could enable advancements in everyday life. One of the biggest issues identified was the tremendous need to make IT less complex for small and medium businesses.

IBM's answer to this issue will get its first market test in the entrepreneurial Indian marketplace which boasts more than 35 million small and medium businesses. With the introduction of Smart Business, IBM aims to fuel the growth of these businesses by delivering ready-to-use IT that is easy to implement, operate and grow.

"IBM's ambitious vision for small and medium businesses, stakes out a clear leadership strategy that embraces new technologies, open standards and Web 2.0 capabilities. We will deliver the industry's most desirable IT experience for small and medium business -- delighting our clients with a wide choice of optimized applications; powerful, industry-standard business systems with built-in security and business resiliency; and a single point of contact for service and support," said Ramesh Narasimhan, Director, General Business, IBM India/South Asia.