Published By: India Today
By Auto Today: The country's largest carmaker, Maruti Suzuki India, has opened applications for Cohort 8 of its Mobility and Automobile Innovation Lab (MAIL) program for startups. According to the company, startups offering solutions in digital, technology, mobility and automobile space may apply.
MAIL offers extensive mentorship and handholding to startups through various programs. Additionally, the team thoroughly validates their solutions, builds from the concept stage to the pilot stage, and extends support in going-to-market together. The program is also backed by the Maruti Suzuki Innovation Fund, which provides startups with an opportunity to secure strategic investment and funding.
As in the past, the shortlisted startups get an opportunity to work with Maruti Suzuki to turn their innovative ideas into practical and disruptive solutions, while showcasing their entrepreneurial capabilities. The startups are guided and mentored by industry experts from the domestic as well as an international startup ecosystem. Select startups get an opportunity to undertake a paid proof-of-concept (PoC) with Maruti Suzuki.
The company also announced the five winners -- mSense, automaxis and Keploy, AngelTech Logistics and AutoWiz -- of Cohort 6. The top three entities -- mSense, automaxis and Keploy -- will undertake a paid PoC with Maruti.
"Aligning with the government's Startup India initiative, Maruti Suzuki is making efforts and contributing in nurturing the start-up culture in the country through its MAIL program. Since the initiation of the MAIL program in 2019, we have worked with various startups to co-create innovative business solutions in mobility and automobile space," said Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director and CEO, Maruti Suzuki India.
"In the latest round (Cohort 6) of this program, the startups demonstrated interesting and innovative technology solutions in areas like artificial intelligence and data analytics. We are excited to further explore the power of technology," he added.