New Delhi: Maruti Suzuki India is widening its startup-led innovation push, selecting six startups from the 10th cohort of its flagship accelerator programme to work on technology-based business solutions across manufacturing, product development, traceability and customer engagement.
The selected startups are Goat Robotics, SheerDrive, Schijnenn Digital, GenbaNEXT, Swayatt Drishtigochar and Swiftex. Each of them has been awarded paid Proof of Concepts to co-create AI-based and technology-led solutions with Maruti Suzuki.
The focus areas are closely tied to the carmaker’s core operations. Maruti Suzuki said the solutions are aimed at improving safety and efficiency in plant operations, reducing product development time, strengthening material-level traceability and improving customer experience.
For India’s largest carmaker, the move signals a practical approach to innovation. Instead of treating startups as outside vendors, Maruti Suzuki is bringing them into real business situations where their ideas can be tested, refined and scaled.
Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director and CEO of Maruti Suzuki India, said the co-created solutions would help the company improve safety in plants, cut product design and development lead time, support material traceability for circularity efforts and help dealer sales executives engage with customers more efficiently.
The accelerator programme also fits into the government’s Startup India push. Takeuchi said the initiative gives startups mentorship, access to Maruti Suzuki’s facilities and opportunities to work with company teams in real business environments.
For startups, the value lies in access to a large manufacturing and retail ecosystem. For Maruti Suzuki, the gain is speed. AI, automation and digital tools can help modernise operations in areas where traditional processes often move slowly.
The selection of six startups shows how the auto industry’s innovation agenda is moving beyond vehicle launches. The next phase is also about smarter factories, faster product cycles, better traceability and more efficient customer-facing systems.
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