Maruti Suzuki launches ‘Mobility Challenge’ for mature startups Partners with Hyderabad-based incubator T-Hub

●The challenge aims to explore quick technology solutions for business expansion and efficiencies
● Selected startups to get an opportunity to work with Maruti Suzuki
● Growth-stage and scale-up startups in India and overseas can take part in Mobility Challenge
● INR 10 Lakhs cash prize each for the two winners of the challenge for the proof of concept

Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) announced the launch of the Mobility Challenge to explore new-age technologies and help growth-stage startups scale up their business. The all new unique programme was unveiled in partnership with Hyderabad-based innovation intermediary and business incubator T-Hub. Startups from Series A to unicorns from India and overseas are invited for this challenge and will be expected to showcase their cutting-edge technology solutions in the mobility space. Through Mobility Challenge, MSIL is eager to partner with startups, including established players that have a ready product/solution with an existing customer base. Disruptive solutions, coupled with the capability to scale up fast, would play a vital role in the Mobility Challenge.

Earlier in January 2019, MSIL had launched their unique MAIL (Mobility & Automobile Innovation Lab) programme in partnership with GHV Accelerator to accelerate the growth of the budding startups. While MAIL is an existing initiative, Mobility Challenge is another all new programme targeted exclusively at mature or growth-stage startups. Both the programmes will continue at a defined periodicity and strengthen the common purpose of driving innovations for business efficiencies.

Announcing the launch of the Mobility Challenge, Mr. Kenichi Ayukawa, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India Limited, said, “At Maruti Suzuki, we believe in collaborations, which help us offer new technologies in our products and services. We have been able to meaningfully engage with 17 startups under our MAIL programme in less than three years of its launch. Now, with the launch of the Mobility Challenge, we look forward to work with mature startups from India and overseas to expand and upgrade our business operations. Speed and agility will define success in Mobility Challenge.”

Elaborating on the initiative, Mr. Ravi Narayan, CEO, T-Hub, said “For over a decade, we have seen progress around automotive technologies. Indian innovators have been significant contributors in this change. T-Hub is providing a strong playing field for technology startups to innovate and scale. The automotive industry holds a strong space in our scale-up plans for innovators. Through the Maruti Suzuki Mobility Challenge, we intend to explore a range of innovative solutions around digitalization, smart connectivity, artificial intelligence and automated driving. This will move the mobility segment towards new horizons.”

The programme will select mature startups who have technology in digital, data and AI/ML(Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning) in the fields of augmented and virtual reality, autonomous mobility, automotive remote diagnostics, automotive servicing efficiency, big data analytics, electrification, internet-of-things, mobility-as-a-service and smart infrastructure.

The selected mature startups in the Mobility Challenge will receive support and mentoring from experts at Maruti Suzuki and T-Hub. This includes domain knowledge, investor connect and test bed. This would help to further galvanize the startups and execute the POC (Proof of Concept) for its growth. The company will identify two winners towards the end and award them a cash prize of Rs 10 lakhs each.

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