Maruti Suzuki and DPIIT Collaborate to Boost Startup Innovation in Automotive and Mobility Sectors
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Maruti Suzuki India Limited has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. This partnership aims to support and encourage technology-driven startups in the fields of automobile manufacturing and mobility.
Under this collaboration, startups recognised by DPIIT through the Startup India initiative will gain the opportunity to take part in Maruti Suzuki's innovation programs. These programs are designed to offer expert guidance, industry knowledge, and access to Maruti Suzuki's infrastructure, providing a real-world environment to validate and refine their technological solutions. In addition, startups will have a platform to connect with incubators, accelerators, and investors, facilitating greater exposure and potential funding.
The MoU was exchanged in the presence of senior representatives including Sanjiv, Joint Secretary, DPIIT; Anjali Bansal, Independent Director, Maruti Suzuki; Sunil Kakkar, Director, Corporate Planning, Maruti Suzuki; Rahul Bharti, Senior Executive Officer, Corporate Affairs, Maruti Suzuki; and Dr. Tapan Sahoo, Executive Officer, Digital Enterprise, Maruti Suzuki.
Rahul Bharti stated, "India is home to a vibrant and growing startup ecosystem. Through this partnership with DPIIT, we will be able to further accelerate our efforts to support promising startups to create technology-led solutions in the automobile manufacturing and mobility space. This collaboration is a step forward in our commitment to the Government's Startup India and Make in India initiatives. We thank DPIIT for partnering with us in this initiative."
Sanjiv, Joint Secretary at DPIIT, highlighted, "Maruti Suzuki's legacy of innovation, scale, and deep industry knowledge makes it a vital partner for India's startup ecosystem. This MoU is a step towards creating a robust platform for startups to transform ideas into market-ready mobility and manufacturing solutions, reinforcing India's leadership in next-gen industrial innovation."
Md. Alam Ansari, Deputy Director, Startup India, added, "Our partnership with Maruti Suzuki reflects DPIIT's commitment to nurturing high-impact startup engagement in the mobility and manufacturing space. We look forward to enabling startups with the support they need to succeed at scale, both in India and globally."
Maruti Suzuki's innovation programs include Accelerator, Incubation, Mobility Challenge, and Nurture. Over the past six years, the company has screened more than 5,200 startups, engaged around 150, and onboarded 28 as partners who have contributed tangible value.
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