Maruti Suzuki, IIM-B launch incubation programme for mobility startups

Automobile manufacturing company Maruti Suzuki has partnered with the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) - Bangalore to launch an incubation programme for early stage startups working on innovative solutions for the mobility sector.

“The tie-up is aimed at nurturing the next generation of companies that will define future mobility solutions and can make a significant contribution to create jobs,” Kenichi Ayukawa, managing director and CEO of Maruti Suzuki India, said.

The programme will focus on startups that have expertise in building  data, artificial intelligence and machine learning solutions in the fields of autonomous mobility, shared mobility, rural focused mobility solutions, connected cars, vehicle diagnosis, safety and advanced driver assist systems, a statement said.

The collaboration with the startup hub and incubation centre at the university, called the Nadathur S Raghavan Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning (NSRCEL), is seen as an extension of Maruti Suzuki’s Mobility and Automobile Innovation Lab (MAIL), which was launched in January 2019  to support startups by co-creating automobile solutions.

Watch: Shashank Srivastava on the Maruti Suzuki MAIL initiative and the EV market 

The startups chosen for the six-month joint incubation programme will also undergo a three-month pre-incubation period, the statement said. 

Apart from incubation support, access to domain experts, investor connect, mentoring and guidance to regulations, the startups will also get an opportunity to partner with Maruti Suzuki to fast-track the growth of their venture, it added. 

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“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,” Venkatesh Panchapagesan, chairperson of the IIM-B NSRCEL, said.

The programme will accept applications till September 30, the NSRCEL website shows.