New Delhi, 10 July 2024: In a significant stride towards supporting the Government of India’s ‘Make in India’ and ‘Startup India’ initiatives, Maruti Suzuki India Limited has announced the commencement of applications for the 9th Cohort of its Maruti Suzuki Accelerator program. For the first time, the program is extending its reach to include global startups, aiming to foster innovative solutions within the automobile manufacturing and mobility sectors.
Both Indian and international startups are encouraged to apply and leverage the various benefits offered by the program, including:
- Mentorship: Access to guidance from mentors associated with both domestic and international startup ecosystems, along with domain experts from Maruti Suzuki.
- Paid Proof of Concept: Opportunity to conduct a paid proof of concept with Maruti Suzuki.
- Global Exposure: Participation in educational visits to Japan, facilitating global market connections.
- Funding Opportunities: Potential to secure funding through the Maruti Suzuki Innovation Fund.
Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO of Maruti Suzuki India Limited, emphasized the significance of the startup ecosystem in driving technological advancements. He stated, “The startup ecosystem is full of ideas and solutions relevant to the automobile manufacturing and mobility space. In 2019, we initiated a program to create an enabling ecosystem for startups with technology-driven innovations. Now, by opening the program to global startups, we are determined to further accelerate the development of innovative technologies relevant to the Indian market. This expansion will help drive technological advancements and generate good employment opportunities for the youth, thereby contributing to the nation’s economic growth.”
Originally launched in 2019 as the Mobility and Automobile Innovation Lab (MAIL), the program has been instrumental in promoting innovation within the automobile manufacturing and mobility sectors. It has enabled Maruti Suzuki to collaborate with startups to co-create technology-driven solutions aimed at enhancing customer convenience and business efficiency.
Since its inception, the program has screened over 2,000 startups across 8 cohorts, engaging with 56 startups, 18 of which have become business partners. These collaborations have generated a combined business value exceeding INR 1 billion for the partnered startups.
Reflecting the evolving needs of the dynamic startup ecosystem, Maruti Suzuki has rebranded its program. Starting with Cohort 9, the initiative formerly known as MAIL will be known as the Maruti Suzuki Accelerator.
Startups interested in applying can find more information and submit their applications here.
