Maruti Suzuki picks four more startups for second batch of MAIL programme

Automobile major Maruti Suzuki has shortlisted four new startups -- Dave.AI , Rezo.AI, Fabrik and ElectreeFi -- for the second cohort of its MAIL (Mobility and Automobile Innovation Lab) programme. The top three -- Dave.AI, Rezo.AI and Fabrik -- will get an opportunity to undertake a paid proof of concept with Maruti Suzuki for actual business use.

With an aim to promote innovation in India for automobile and mobility space, the company said in a press statement that it is now engaged with nine startups under this initiative.

“With rapid changes in the business environment, technology-led innovations are the need of the hour. Working with startups, providing them a platform and co-creating business solutions helps Maruti Suzuki generate new business solutions much faster. The MAIL programme is an impactful initiative that provides a test-bed to some of the brightest minds," Kenichi Ayukawa, managing director and CEO of Maruti Suzuki India, said. 

According to the statement, the latest batch of four startups underwent an extensive selection exercise involving screening and pitching sessions. They also received mentorship from the domestic and international startup ecosystem.  

MAIL was launched in January 2019 in partnership with Indo-Japanese early-stage seed fund GHV Accelerator.

It selected five startups for its first cohort in October 2019.

What do the newly-selected startups do?

Dave.AI: Bengaluru-based Dave.AI was founded in 2016 by Ashok Balasundram, Ananthakrishnan Gopal and Sriram PH. It is a patent-pending artificial intelligence platform that claims to help enterprises manage their sales processes efficiently and augment customers' product discovery experience. It says it delivers increased customer engagement, conversion rates, optimised product mix and increases average order value per customer.

Rezo.AI: Noida-based Rezo.AI was founded by Manish Gupta and Rashi Gupta in 2017. The company is an artificial intelligence-powered platform that integrates emails, social media and chats with little human intervention. It claims to simplify workflow by performing time-consuming manual tasks more quickly.

ElectreeFi: Noida-based ElectreeFi helps users to locate nearest EV (electric vehicle) charging stations. It also lets a user search, filter and reserve a charging slot. The app allows you to start and stop charging with a tap and users can pay their charging expenses through a closed wallet or other payment gateways like Paytm, PayUMoney and BillDesk.