Infiniti, Venture-Capital Firm to Nurture Startups

Infiniti and venture-capital firm Nest jointly offer high-potential startup companies in mobility and connectivity an intensive 8-week training course to help them pitch their proposals to decision-makers at the automaker and across the Renault-Nissan alliance.

The Infiniti Smart Mobility Lab program begins in April in Singapore and applications are open to startups until Feb. 12.

The program is aimed at startups that have advanced from the idea stage and are ready to gain validation in a commercial setting. Infiniti calls this an Ignition program, a stage beyond the traditional Accelerator format.

Infiniti President Roland Krueger says the program is a key part of the automaker’s initiative to promote entrepreneurism in the business community.

“Automobiles play an important role in future intelligent cities,” Krueger says in a statement. “Technologies of connectivity will enable vehicles to communicate with each other and with city infrastructures. This will significantly enhance the driving experience, and Infiniti is committed to leading the development in this area.”

A panel will select up to eight startups to travel to Singapore from April to June to join the initiative. Industry experts at Infiniti and Nest will provide each with dedicated mentorship and guidance tailored to help refine their business models and prepare them to pitch a proof-of-concept project to Infiniti by the end of the program.

An investor Demo Day will allow the startups to pitch to investors with the aim of securing further funding and new business opportunities.

Infiniti says Singapore was selected for the program because it is one of the most progressive countries in its commitment to building a fully smart, connected and sustainable city.

Elsewhere, Infiniti announces in Hong Kong the 2017 edition of its Infiniti Engineering Academy.

It is the fourth year of a recruitment program that gives seven exceptional students to learn from leading engineers at Infiniti and the Renault Sport Formula One Team.

“Thanks to our close technical partnership with the Renault (team), we can offer seven engineers from all over the world a truly technically rich, multidiscipline and multicultural engineering placement,” Tommaso Volpe, director-Infiniti Global Motorsport, says in a statement.

He says a key aim of the academy is exploring crossover opportunities and the sharing of technology between Infiniti road-car and Renault Sport Formula One race-car projects.

One winner each will come from the seven participating regions: Asia and Oceania, Canada, China, Europe (including Russia), Mexico, Middle East and the U.S.

“With Formula One more relevant to the automotive industry than ever and our academy engineers at the cutting edge of both automotive and motorsport engineering, we are perfectly placed to explore, understand and encourage the crossover of technology between our two companies and disciplines,” Volpe says.