As an ‘anchor partner’ of STARTUP AUTOBAHN, which has access to more than 30,000 startups, the Bridgestone mobility solutions partnership allows for scouting of relevant startups, piloting future joint technologies and development of market-ready innovations.
Bridgestone Mobility Solutions, Bridgestone EMIA’s Business Unit to Focus on Developing and Launching Data-Driven Fleet, Tyre and Mobility Solutions
As an innovation platform, STARTUP AUTOBAHN, moderated by the Silicon Valley-based global open innovation platform, Plug and Play Tech Center, brings industry-leading companies and startups together to identify new ideas and develop technologies in the mobility sector. The network spans 30,000 startups and around 30 corporate partners, with the Stuttgart-based platform accelerating innovation by providing workshops, events, business development and investment opportunities.
“Partnering with STARTUP AUTOBAHN is an important step in our strategy to drive continuous innovation and business progress”, explains Jan-Maarten de Vries, CEO of Bridgestone Mobility Solutions. “Joining this high-quality network of pioneers, entrepreneurs and innovative thinkers, we are looking forward to jointly working on new ideas and technologies that will contribute to a safer, more efficient and sustainable future.”
Bridgestone Mobility Solutions is moving towards the digital transformation of Bridgestone to be a sustainable solutions company, helping customers and partners take advantage of the shift towards data-based insight, convenience, and maximum efficiency. The Bridgestone EMIA business unit serves a wide range of the digital mobility solutions portfolio of the company, including Europe’s leading fleet management solution WEBFLEET.
“We are extremely happy to welcome Bridgestone Mobility Solutions to our global network,” says Sascha Karimpour, Managing Director at Plug & Play Germany and a co-initiator of STARTUP AUTOBAHN. “Bridgestone, known as one of the leading tyre and rubber companies worldwide, is accelerating its digital solutions business which fits perfectly with STARTUP AUTOBAHN’s end-to-end value chain of mobility partners. Their diverse portfolio in fleet, tyre and data solutions will bring new opportunities and great value to our platform.”
As a new ‘anchor partner’ of the STARTUP AUTOBAHN platform, the Bridgestone Mobility Solutions innovation team will look for relevant startups across the network, focusing on different innovation areas such as electric mobility, smart city solutions and smart tyre technologies. The goal is to identify joint value propositions, work on pilot projects and develop them into market-ready solutions which add value for customers and society.
“The Mobility sector is going through massive transformation and innovation is a critical piece of our strategy towards sustainable growth”, states Franck Leveque, Vice President, Strategy & Incubation at Bridgestone Mobility Solutions. “Engaging in STARTUP AUTOBAHN’s open innovation platform not only allows us to support startups and explore new and disruptive models in the mobility eco-system. It also offers a unique opportunity to establish an ongoing dialogue with a network of interesting and relevant industry partners.”
