Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) has introduced a global competition named ‘Startup Sparks,’ inviting early-stage start-ups to present their ideas. Stemming from the company’s internal innovation platform, ‘The Farm,’ this startup incubator will concentrate on Electric Vehicles and Alternate Mobility, Connectivity and Servitization, Future Mobility, and Customized Applications and Industrial Products. The competition will be conducted entirely online, and interested start-ups can submit their applications on the Daimler-Truck Asia website. The program is open to early-stage start-ups, SMEs, and entrepreneurs, with submissions accepted from December 21, 2020, to January 29, 2021.
The application process is free, and the results will be announced in February 2021 following a jury pitch session. The selected start-ups will have the opportunity to participate in the pre-incubation module, followed by a nine-month incubation program within ‘The Farm.’ Supported by mentorship, infrastructure, and funding from DICV, academia, and domain experts, participants can advance their ideas to the ‘proof of concept’ stage.
Satyakam Arya, CEO & Managing Director DICV, expressed, “Innovation is ingrained in Daimler’s heritage, as the pioneers of the first passenger car, omnibus, and truck. We are thrilled to uphold this tradition by launching The Farm, an incubator platform fostering innovation for early-stage entrepreneurs. This initiative aims to transform ideas into reality, contributing to the development of mobility solutions that enhance lives and benefit the planet.”
DICV has collaborated with the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India and Invest India for this initiative, with the goal of bringing together industry, institutes, and the startup ecosystem to enhance knowledge capital.
Rahul Nayar, Vice President, AGNIi Mission, Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser, Government of India / PM-STIAC, Invest India, commented on Start-Up Sparks, stating, “Technology is revolutionizing transportation at its core. This collaboration with Daimler India Commercial Vehicles provides an opportunity for world-class innovators to lead this revolution, enabling faster, safer, more cost-effective, and environmentally friendly movement of people and goods.”
