Global internet services business Rakuten has opened a dedicated research and development institute to help “fuel the growth of ecommerce around the world”.

The Rakuten Institute of Technology (RIT) in Paris is the third such establishment, with sister hubs already set up in New York and Tokyo.

It is situated in the classical Haussmann building, alongside Rakuten’s PriceMinister office, which it acquired in 2010 in a deal worth €200 million.

The business has been on a busy acquisition trail in recent years and recently snapped up messaging and VOIP business Viber.

RIT will focus research on projects to support the global e-commerce industry; ultimately to provide e-retailers with innovations to grow their brands.

"Opening an R&D centre in Paris makes perfect sense for Rakuten, and is a fitting acknowledgement of the Group’s success in France and across Europe,” said Pierre Kosciusko-Morizet, chief operations officer of Rakuten Europe.