Published By: Yourstory
Maruti Suzuki-accelerated startups are disrupting the innovation ecosystem as MAIL is driving into a new chapter of mobility. Startups offering solutions in digital, technology, mobility, and automobile space can apply to the program. Leveraging technology and innovation capabilities of startups, the Maruti Suzuki MAIL program turns these innovative ideas into practical and disruptive solutions. Since the initiation of the MAIL program in 2019, the company has made consistent efforts to strengthen innovation in the areas of mobility and automobile solutions.
MAIL has successfully engaged with 42 startups across 7 cohorts. It has effectively enabled 22 POCs and onboarded 10 startups as business partners. Maruti Suzuki is now inviting applications for Cohort 8 of the MAIL program. MAIL, a corporate accelerator, engages with early-stage startups through a comprehensively structured program that is backed by GHV accelerator, an Indo-Japanese early stage seed fund. The philosophy of the MAIL program is to 'Innovate-Collaborate-Co-create'. It is a six-month long program that accelerates the growth of startups in MVP stage through rapid prototyping and development. MAIL offers extensive mentorship and handholding to startups by industry experts from the domestic as well as international startup ecosystem. Additionally, the team thoroughly validates their solutions through the vast Maruti Suzuki test bed. The winning startups will get an opportunity to undertake a paid Proof-of-Concept (PoC) with Maruti Suzuki and furthers the possibility of Going-to-Market together. The program is also backed by Maruti Suzuki Innovation Fund which provides startups an opportunity to secure strategic investment and funding. Startups offering solutions in digital, technology, mobility and automobile space can apply to the program. The solutions range across business domains such as Engineering, Information Technology, Logistics, Marketing & Sales, Production, Service, Spare Parts and Supply Chain. These fields provide vast test beds to the startups to enhance and improvise their solutions, while simultaneously adding immense business value to Maruti Suzuki’s operations.
MAIL program structureApply Online: Startups have to apply and register their organisations /ideas for the MAIL program. Post this, applications are screened for the next round.
Selection and onboarding: After screening, startups with feasible, cost-effective, and unique ideas are selected for the program.
Product assessment and roadmap optimisation: After products are assessed a roadmap is defined to bring in innovative strategies to achieve the intended idea.
Demo Day: Participating startups can pitch and present their ideas to industry experts, helping nurture tie-ups with top brands for funding, and so on.
Cohort winners startups: At the end, the winning startups would get an opportunity to do a paid Proof of Concept (POC) with Maruti Suzuki.
A comprehensive program structure is built to engage with startups and offer exclusive benefits to them.
Benefits to startups01. Go to Market faster with Maruti Suzuki
02. Validate solutions & refine your offering with Maruti Suzuki's Test Bed
03. Paid Proof of Concept
04. Attract compelling investments
05. Extensive mentorship and networking trip to Japan