Maruti Suzuki shortlists 5 new startups under its MAIL program

PTI, Sep 29, 2020, 12:06 PM IST

New Delhi: The country’s largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) on Tuesday said it has shortlisted five new startups as part of its third cohort of the MAIL (Mobility & Automobile Innovation Lab) program.

The five new startups chosen in Cohort 3 are Clean Slate, Peer Robotics, Vicara, Hyper-Reality, and URJA.

With the addition of these five startups, Maruti Suzuki is now engaged with 14 startups under the MAIL program in the last 18 months, the company said in a statement.

Maruti Suzuki India’s MAIL initiative supports startups by co-creating innovative business solutions. It was launched to nurture innovation in the automobile and mobility sector in partnership with GVH Accelerator in January 2019.

The initiative aims to create an environment to nurture, foster, and guide the early-stage startups, the company said.

The five startups of cohort 3 underwent an extensive shortlisting process that included screening and pitch sessions.

Clean Slate Technologies, a startup from Bengaluru, stood as the winner of the program, followed by Peer Robotics from Gurgaon as 1st runner up and Vicara from Bengaluru as the 2nd runner up.

These startups will now engage with Maruti Suzuki for paid projects and also will be entitled to other benefits associated with the program, the company added.

“The auto industry is extremely dynamic and faces new challenges frequently. The lookout for new technological aids to assist the industry and continue working efficiently is an ever-evolving task,” MSIL Managing Director & CEO Kenichi Ayukawa said.

The company’s flagship MAIL program is now in its 3rd cohort and in each round several innovative ideas that solve real-life industrial challenges have been witnessed, he added.

“MAIL program focuses on offering a platform to these early-stage startups where they can translate their big ideas into business solutions. Besides, they get a unique opportunity to get the idea validated and approved by Maruti Suzuki’s domain experts,” Ayukawa said.