Daimler: Record number of startups and pilot projects at STARTUP AUTOBAHN

STARTUP AUTOBAHN Stuttgart Expo Day – Sascha Karimpour, Managing Director Plug and Play Germany

• Record number of startups and pilot projects at STARTUP AUTOBAHN – the biggest innovation platform in Europe powered by Plug and Play Tech Center: over 130 pilots with 74 startups, 10 meetups with more than 3000 visitors; 30+ mentoring sessions; 700+ individual startup-corporate introductions achieved within only one year.
• STARTUP AUTOBAHN’s post-accelerator model works and goes global – from Stuttgart expanded to China and Singapore.
• STARTUP AUTOBAHN goes beyond the future of mobility and industry 4.0 and covers topics like supply chain & logistics, enterprise processes (HR/retail), vehicle tech (CASE), vehicle services (fintech/insurtech), energy and beyond.
• The neutral open innovation model attracts more corporations: five more industry leading companies joined STARTUP AUTOBAHN to work on joint projects with tech startups and help them grow their business and shape the future of innovation.
• Many success stories have been written by STARTUP AUTOBAHN alumni startups: Plug and Play Global gave away the ‘ Innovation Award for Exceptional Pilot Collaboration’.

STUTTGART, 28-Feb-2018 — /EuropaWire/ — Within only one and a half years, STARTUP AUTOBAHN has not just become the largest innovation platform but also facilitated a record number of 130+ pilot projects between 74 startups from all over the world and 11 industry leaders of Germany. On February 26th, 2018 STARTUP AUTOBAHN exclusively showcased 33 startups from Program 3 and their results from 100 days working with Plug & Play, Daimler, Porsche, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, DXC Technology, BASF, ZF Friedrichshafen, Deutsche Post DHL Group, Webasto, Murata, HELLA, and BENTELER.

Record number of startups and pilot projects at the biggest innovation platform in Europe

STARTUP AUTOBAHN facilitated 64+ joint projects between record number of 33 young tech companies and 11 industry leading corporations in Program 3. In the third batch of STARTUP AUTOBAHN, 33 young tech companies with the combined strength of now 11 corporate partners, have been working on 64 joint projects and showcased their results on the Expo Day at the ARENA2036 technology laboratory. The focus of these joint projects included e-mobility, human-machine interface, supply chain & logistics as well related themes in the field of vehicle tech (CASE), vehicle services (fintech / insurtech), enterprise processes (HR/Retail), future of production and industry 4.0.

The following startups from the US, Canada, UK, Norway, Finland, Netherlands, France, Germany, Austria and Switzerland validated and piloted their technologies on a neutral platform, moderated by Plug & Play within a three-month program: Acerta, Actronika, Affectiva, Arctic Coating, AVA, Bleenco, blik, CarbonTT, CARTO, Celonis, Cirrantic, CollectiveCrunch, Cybus, FlexeGRAPH, GBatteries, HD Vision Systems, LexaTexer, NÜWIEL, PlugSurfing, Prewave, Quantitec, Smoope, Snips, Tactotek, ThingOS, Toposens, ZeroLight, WayRay, Contractus, Resin.io, High Mobility, FluentAI and ProcessGold.

Joint projects go to serial production –  STARTUP AUTOBAHN is the best way for startups to get in business A total of 74 startups graduated from the innovation platform through all three programs so far and many success stories have been written: the pilot conducted by the British startup what3words and Daimler in the last program goes into serial production as of spring 2018 –  A-Class drivers will be able to enter precise destinations using 3-word addresses, by voice or text input. Also, with the launch of the new Cayenne, Porsche is offering its customers a new parking service called “Parken Plus” in association with Evopark – a startup who participated in the first batch. Plug and Play – as the moderator of the program not only facilitates these pilot projects, but as one of the most active VC firms, also invested in STARTUP AUTOBAHN Program startups and connects the startups to other strategic investors and VCs. Investments include companies such as AVA, GuardKnox, GBatteries, Acerta, Relimetrics. We are also truly honored by the success stories of our alumni companies: Argus (Program 1) got acquired by Continental for approximately USD $400 million; Innoviz (Program 2) raised USD $90 million, Otonomo (Program 1) USD $40 million, CarJump (Program 1) was acquired by Peugeot, Vayyar (Program 1) raised USD $79 million, and many more.

STARTUP AUTOBAHN brings EXPO Day to the next level

On February 26th, 2018, an international audience of 800+ attendees had the chance to gain deep insights into the newest innovative technologies and to network with executives from various corporations, venture capitalists, investors, startups, universities, government representatives, mentors and press. On this third STARTUP AUTOBAHN EXPO Day, the 33 startups of Program 3 exclusively showcased their results of working 100 days with 11 leading industry players, while they pitched their ideas and pilots in front of the audience. Keynote speakers at the EXPO Day included leading industry experts both from the corporate and startup world. Oliver Blume, CEO of Porsche, Daniel Krauss, Founder and CIO at FlixBus, as well as Clare Jones what3words explained what it takes to become an external supplier to Daimler as a STARTUP AUTOBAHN startup alumni. Plug and Play Global Innovation Award for Exceptional Pilot Collaboration and People’s Choice Award for the Best Pitch Saeed Amidi, CEO and Founder of Plug and Play Tech Center announced Porsche, BASF, DXC Technology as the most innovative Corporations of all 200+ corporate partners of Plug and Play Tech Center worldwide for their exceptional four-party pilot collaboration with the startup Kreatize. Also, Daimler and the startup what3words received the Global Innovation Award from Plug and Play Tech Center’s CEO for the serial implementation of their joint project.

STARTUP AUTOBAHN – the largest European innovation platform’s post-accelerator model works and goes global – from Stuttgart expands to China and Singaporeae Startup Autobahn continues at full speed and is about to onboard more startups with great technologies and ideas thriving to become the next unicorn. Keeping momentum, STARTUP AUTOBAHN has its foot on the throttle and Program 4 will start in March with new partners on board. With the combined strength of now 16 corporate partners, STARTUP AUTOBAHN offers the best startups worldwide an opportunity to validate their technology on a neutral platform, moderated by Plug & Play within a three-month program. The focus of Program 4 includes Smart Materials, 3D Printing, Shared Mobility Services, Future of Performance Driving, Robotics, Automation, Smart City, Supply Chain Automation, Last-Mile Logistics, as well related themes dictated by the corporate partners. STARTUP AUTOBAHN is looking forward to welcoming around 30+ startups in Program 4, who will be announced soon. Furthermore, to fill in the gap of a post-accelerator model in Asia/Pacific – STARTUP AUTOBAHN expanded to China and Singapore to unite smaller global tech startups with the unrivalled tech expertise of Silicon Valley and the best of German engineering. Five more corporate partners joined the innovation platform to get  access to the latest technology trends and help startups thrive faster

STARTUP AUTOBAHN is honored to welcome Linde Group, Wieland Ventures, Jardine Matheson Limited, PostNL and AGC Glass Europe aboard to join Plug & Play, Daimler, University of Stuttgart, and ARENA2036, Hewlett Packard Enterprise/DXC Technology, BASF, Porsche, ZF Friedrichshafen Deutsche Post DHL Group, Webasto, Murata, BENTELER and HELLA to contribute as Ecosystem Partners to the innovation platform. STARTUP AUTOBAHN is open for further corporate partners as well. STARTUP AUTOBAHN believes in open doors, disruptive thinking, and the sharing of ideas, technology, and connections to help startups and corporates thrive faster.

Further information about STARTUP AUTOBAHN is available online: http://www.startup-autobahn.com/

Contact: Livia Toth, Community Manager STARTUP AUTOBAHN, livia@pnptc.com

About STARTUP AUTOBAHN:

STARTUP AUTOBAHN is a neutral innovation platform moderating an in-depth and curated collaboration between core partners from industry, Investment firms and mentors to help the growth of startup companies. STARTUP AUTOBAHN runs two three-month programs per year each followed by an EXPO Day. The program is stage-agnostic with a later-stage focus, designed to accelerate startups. STARTUP AUTOBAHN is providing all the support startups need to realize their vision faster: Space, tools, people, resources and access to a valuable network of corporations, investors, mentors, universities and government representatives. Plug & Play, the Silicon Valley accelerator and investor, is facilitating this joint project together with Plug and Play Germany GmbH, Daimler AG, ARENA2036, University of Stuttgart, Hewlett Packard Enterprise/DXC Technology, ZF Friedrichshafen, BASF, Porsche, Deutsche Post DHL Group, and Webasto. Along with the ecosystem partners like Murata, HELLA, as well as, BENTELER. Startups from all over the world are invited to submit their applications for the accelerator program on the future of mobility and Industry 4.0.

SOURCE: Daimler AG

Silke Kögler
Office Communications Future Mobility Studies, Vehicle R&D and Innovations
Email silke.koegler@daimler.com
Phone +49 711 17-96479
Fax +49 711 17-79089445

Christoph Johannes Sedlmayr
Office Manager Communications Vehicle R&D and Sustainable Mobility
Email christoph.sedlmayr@daimler.com
Phone +49 711 17-91404
Mobile +49 151 58619417