Maruti Suzuki India Limited has announced its partnership with Nadathur S. Raghavan Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning (NSRCEL), the startup hub and incubation centre at the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore (IIMB). This partnership will help startups working in technology-based innovations that can be applied in the mobility sector.
The collaboration marks the first-of-its-kind initiative by an automobile manufacturing company to help early-stage startups become large scale businesses. This will be a 3-month (pre-incubation) and 6-month (incubation) engagement.
What Is It?
Maruti Suzuki had earlier launched MAIL (Mobility and Automobile Innovation Lab) in January 2019, which supports startups by co-creating innovative business solutions in the mobility space. This is also developed under MAIL initiative to have a positive impact on Maruti Suzuki’s business. These solutions help to efficiently bring in technological advancements relevant to the automobile business. To expand the collaboration with startups, Maruti Suzuki now plans to engage with IIMB to incubate startups in the area of mobility.
Speaking on the partnership, Mr Kenichi Ayukawa, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “Mobility startup incubation program addresses the needs of early-stage startups, which have the potential of becoming large-scale businesses. This partnership with IIMB will spearhead innovation in mobility space. The Indian startup community provides much-needed impetus to Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of Startup India. The tie-up is aimed to nurture the next generation companies that will define future mobility solution and can make a significant contribution to creating jobs.”
Under this Program
Selected early-stage startups will get incubation support and a chance for a potential partnership with Maruti Suzuki to fast-track the growth of their venture. Startups will get Maruti Suzuki’s support for things like need assessment, access to a domain expert, investor connect, mentoring, guidance to regulations and demo day to catalyse its growth.
The program will select professionals who have technology in digital, data and AI/ML in the fields of autonomous mobility, shared mobility, mobility solution for rural, connected cars, vehicle diagnostic, vehicle safety and advanced driver-assist system, supply chain management, blockchain, data security, warehousing, finance, advertisement and loyalty program.
Elaborating on the initiative, Prof Venkatesh Panchapagesan, Chairperson, NSRCEL, said “Our mobility program provides startups with the practical expertise of a leader like Maruti Suzuki with the incubation support depth and experience of NSRCEL. We will leverage the broader IIM Bangalore’s network of faculty, students and alumni as well as the expertise and counsel of a host of partner institutions who are active in this domain. Our message to the startups is simple: Once you come in, we will do whatever it takes to make you successful.”