AI, EV, mobility tech dominate Maruti Suzuki Accelerator's latest startup picks

Maruti Suzuki India Limited has concluded the 9th edition of its Accelerator program, with international participation included for the first time ever. The new cohort was composed of an assortment of 26 startups, 19 from India and 7 from Germany, chosen to present innovative technologies applicable to the automotive as well as mobility industry.

Nine Startups Selected Across India and Germany

Of the participating ventures, nine were announced as winners. These include Indian startups Frinks AI, mistEO, Adagrad, Com Olho, ProSolvr, and Eligere, as well as three German firms: Caire AI, Syn2Core, and Talonic. This was the first time the program formally included a “Global Startups" category.

The selected companies presented a range of digital and mobility-related technologies, such as AI-driven cybersecurity tools, quality control systems, EV charging and battery solutions, and road safety applications. Their solutions are aimed at addressing operational challenges across manufacturing, mobility infrastructure, and customer experience.

Technology-Focused Programs Built Around Startup Ecosystem

Since the past six years, the company has built a portfolio of structured programs to partner with startups building emerging technologies. These programs are meant to leverage external innovation at different levels of startup maturity. The Accelerator Program, launched in 2019, revolves around open innovation in manufacturing and mobility technology. The Incubation Program was launched in 2020 for early-stage startups with scalable business models.

In 2021, Mobility Challenge was introduced by the company, offering a platform for growth-stage startups to highlight advanced mobility solutions. Later, in 2023, the company introduced the Nurture program as a pre-incubation initiative for startups that are concept-stage. According to figures revealed by the company, over 5,000 startups have been filtered through these numerous ways, of which 150 are committed and 25 were integrated into business activities in some capacity.

Broader Trends in Corporate-Startup Collaboration

Allowing global startups to participate in the accelerator program is a part of the bigger industry trend - where traditional manufacturers are choosing to work with agile, technology-led startups to pilot ideas and digital solutions. Things like EV charging infrastructure, AI-based diagnostics and new-age analytics are gaining momentum as automakers adapt to changes in the market and regulations.

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