MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif: Committed to creating transformative products and services through open innovation, Honda Innovations is expanding its global open innovation program for early stage innovators to Detroit, Japan, China, and Europe.
Modeled on its successful Honda Xcelerator program in Mountain View, Calif., Honda Innovations will guide other Honda operations as they establish startup liaisons globally, providing protocols and best practices to identify and engage with startups and entrepreneurs who share Honda's vision for transforming mobility.
Established in 2015, Honda Xcelerator supports selected startups with funding for rapid prototyping, access to a collaborative workspace, and pairs the companies with Honda mentors. Focus areas for Honda Xcelerator include Energy Innovation, Human Machine Interface, Personal Mobility, Industrial Innovation, Autonomous Vehicles, Artificial Intelligence, Smart Materials, and Robotics.
By engaging more deeply with the local startup community in these regions, the startup liaisons will create win-win opportunities for collaborations between top innovators and Honda.
"The pace of innovation is increasing with the rapid expansion of the global startup community, and has the potential to help Honda transform its future products, services, and business opportunities," said Honda Innovations CEO, Nick Sugimoto. "With our expanded collaboration in Detroit, Japan, China, and Europe, Honda will be in an even stronger position to discover emerging technologies and establish partnerships to help create new value for our customers."
