HONG KONG: Infiniti and venture capital firm Nest have launched "Infiniti Lab, Smart Mobility" in Singapore, a unique programme created to give startups the chance to validate their business over eight weeks. Applications are open until Feb 12 and the programmeme will wrap up in June.
The goal of Infiniti Lab, Smart Mobility is to give potential startups in mobility and connectivity intensive training and mentoring, so they can pitch a viable case to Infiniti's senior decision makers and key innovation stakeholders from across the Renault-Nissan Alliance.
The eight-week programme 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 programme, a stage beyond the traditional Accelerator format.
"This programme is a key part of Infiniti's initiative to promote entrepreneurial spirit in the business community," said Infiniti president Roland Krueger. "Automobiles play an important role in future intelligent cities. 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."
Up to eight start-ups will be picked by an experienced panel before being invited to Singapore from April to June to join the first-of-its-kind initiative.
"This programmeme could be transformational for early-stage companies who need commercial validation of their product," said Nest CEO Lawrence Morgan. "Startups need the opportunity to test their products and theories, and this programme is highly focused on giving founders a clear path to POC so they can quickly gain traction and scale."
Applications open today and the deadline for submissions is Feb 12.
