Maruti Suzuki invites startups for fourth cohort of mobility innovation programme

New Delhi headquartered car maker MSIL (Maruti Suzuki India Limited) has invited entries from startups working in the areas of mobility and automobile space, for its fourth cohort of MAIL (Mobility and Automobile Innovation Lab) initiative. 

Registrations for the latest cohort begin on March 17 and will continue until May 15, 2020.

Launched in January 2019, MAIL is the carmaker’s initiative to find innovative and cutting-edge automobile and mobility solutions.

The chosen startups will be mentored by industry experts in the domestic and international startup ecosystem, according to a statement.

The winners will get an opportunity to undertake a paid proof-of-concept (POC) programme with Maruti Suzuki to develop business solutions for a live use case. MSIL says seven such POCs are currently underway.

“MAIL programme is aimed at tapping early-stage startups and help them to convert their innovative ideas into ground-breaking solutions. We look forward to more disruptive ideas in our fourth cohort of MAIL,” Kenichi Ayukawa, MD and CEO, MSIL, said. 

Read: Maruti Suzuki drives into the EV market with Concept Futuro-e

The participating startups will be provided with an opportunity to turn their innovative ideas into practical disruptive solutions and showcase their entrepreneurial capabilities, the statement added. 

The third cohort is still underway. A total of nine startups were chosen from the first two cohorts of the MAIL Programme, the carmaker said.

Last month, the company shortlisted four new startups -- Dave.AI , Rezo.AI, Fabrik and ElectreeFi -- for the second cohort of its MAIL programme.

The company announced the winners of the first cohort, in October last year.

MSIL has partnered with Indo-Japanese early-stage seed fund GHV Accelerator for the programme.