Mercedes-Benz Korea announced on Thursday the successful conclusion of this year’s Startup Autobahn Korea with an “Expo Day” held at a multicultural space in Seongdong-gu, Seoul. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Dec. 8 (Korea Bizwire) – Mercedes-Benz Korea announced on Thursday the successful conclusion of this year’s Startup Autobahn Korea with an “Expo Day” held at a multicultural space in Seongdong-gu, Seoul. The event showcased the final development results of nine companies that participated in the fourth edition of the program.
Established by Mercedes-Benz Group AG in 2016, Startup Autobahn is a global open innovation platform designed to discover promising startups and establish collaboration. In 2020, it took place for the first time in Korea, marking its seventh global edition.
This year, nine innovative companies specializing in smart factories, artificial intelligence (AI), and autonomous driving were selected as finalists in July. Over the course of more than 100 days, they developed projects in partnership with Mercedes-Benz Korea and collaborators such as Hanwha Systems and LG Electronics.
During Expo Day, the participating startups presented the results of their 100-day projects, engaging in on-site networking to explore collaboration and investment opportunities with partner companies and venture capitalists (VCs).
In an effort to expand its network, Startup Autobahn Korea collaborated with organizations such as the Seoul Economic Promotion Agency and the Korea International Trade Association. Notably, it co-hosted the Smart Mobility Meetup in September with the global accelerator Plug & Play in Germany, helping five Korean startups to expand overseas.
Mercedes-Benz Korea supported a total of 40 companies through Startup Autobahn Korea this year. Among the seven Mercedes-Benz subsidiaries worldwide running the Startup Autobahn program, only Korea and the German headquarters fostered more than 40 startups within the same timeframe.
Despite being only three years old, the program has already facilitated pilot projects between Mercedes-Benz Korea and local startups. Noteworthy examples include the participation of two Korean startups in the ‘Startup Autobahn Expo 2022′ in Stuttgart, Germany, and the involvement of five Korean startups in the technology exchange event, DeepDive, at the German headquarters in November.
Mercedes-Benz Korea’s commitment to supporting startups goes beyond offering guidance; the ultimate goal is to incorporate innovations discovered through the project into Mercedes-Benz vehicles, benefiting customers worldwide.
Mathias Vaitl, Head of Mercedes-Benz Korea, said, “Startup Autobahn Korea is not only helping to develop the domestic startup ecosystem but also laying the foundation for global exchanges and enabling the innovative technologies of promising companies to shine. We will provide more opportunities for exchanges and cooperation with startups in the future so that promising Korean companies can play a more active role on the global stage.”
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
