- Second Toronto INFINITI LAB to take place in Toronto following 2017's successful accelerator program
- Applicants accepted in the program have the opportunity to pitch to Alliance Ventures
TORONTO, Ontario, Canada – INFINITI LAB, in partnership with Multiplicity, returns to Toronto this May with applications opening today, Thursday, April 26, 2018. For the first time, LAB participants will have the opportunity to pitch to the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi venture capital fund, Alliance Ventures.
INFINITI LAB Toronto will run for the second time after last year's successful accelerator program, gaining the support of local government and the Ontario Centre of Excellence.
"INFINITI has an ambitious vision, recognizing the agile nature and benefits startups can bring to our organization. Over the past three years we have worked with exceptional startups to develop pilots and partnerships that could transform our business. 2018 marks an exciting time as we strengthen our commitment and support for entrepreneurs worldwide," Roland Krueger, Chairman and Global President of INFINITI
The Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance Ventures capital fund, of up to $1 billion USD, was launched to target new innovation for the Alliance.
"Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi launched Alliance Ventures earlier this year, targeting investments in technology and business model innovation in vehicle electrification, autonomous systems, car connectivity and new mobility services. We're excited to be working together with INFINITI LAB to identify new investment opportunities. Toronto is one of the leading startup ecosystems globally, and we anticipate that members of the upcoming LAB programs will be a fit with our mission to invest in innovative startups," comments Francois Dossa, Head of Alliance Ventures.
INFINITI LAB Toronto is an intensive six-week program where eight selected startups in the Smart Cities and Internet of Things (IoT) industry will receive expert mentoring and access to an unrivaled network of partners and investors. Promising Toronto startup, Rover Parking, progressed from last year's program to the global LAB at INFINITI's headquarters in Hong Kong. This year the same opportunity will be offered to Toronto LAB's top startups.
"INFINITI Canada is committed to supporting homegrown entrepreneurs and open innovation. The program enables us to access new ways of thinking, and support the local ecosystem with an opportunity to scale globally," Adam Paterson, Managing Director, INFINITI Canada
The year 2018 marks the third year of operations for INFINITI LAB and has seen successful partnerships come to life with augmented and virtual reality developers, Visionaries 777, enhancing INFINITI showrooms, and an on-going pilot with real-time routing and fleet management experts, Pantonium, a native Toronto startup.
INFINITI LAB Toronto is open Thursday, April 26, for applicants.
To find out more about the program, applicants can visit www.infiniti.com/lab
# # #
About INFINITI
INFINITI Motor Company Ltd. is headquartered in Hong Kong with representations in 50 markets around the world. The INFINITI brand was launched in 1989. Its range of premium automobiles is currently built in manufacturing facilities in Japan, the United States, United Kingdom and China. INFINITI design studios are located in Atsugi-Shi (near Yokohama), London, San Diego and Beijing. INFINITI is in the middle of a major product offensive. The brand has been widely acclaimed for its daring design and innovative driver-assistance technologies. From the 2016 season, INFINITI is a technical partner of the Renault Sport Formula One team, contributing its expertise in hybrid performance.
More information about INFINITI and its industry-leading technologies can be found at www.INFINITIUSA.com. You can also follow INFINITI US on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and see all our latest videos on YouTube.
About INFINITI LAB
INFINITI LAB is a global accelerator that helps entrepreneurs achieve success. Our programs give startups expert mentoring and access to our unrivalled network of partners and investors. INFINITI LAB offers four unique programs, run in locations around the world, to support startups at any stage on their path to success.
More information about INFINITI LAB can be found at www.infiniti.com/lab
About Alliance Ventures
Groupe Renault, Nissan Motor and Mitsubishi Motors represent the world's largest automotive alliance. It is the longest-lasting and most productive cross-cultural partnership in the auto industry. Together, the partners sold more than 10.6 million vehicles in nearly 200 countries in 2017. The member companies are focused on collaboration and maximizing synergies to boost competitiveness. They have strategic collaborations with other automotive groups, including Germany's Daimler and China's Dongfeng. This strategic alliance is the industry leader in zero-emission vehicles and is developing the latest advanced technologies, with plans to offer autonomous drive, connectivity features and services on a wide range of affordable vehicles.
About Multiplicity
Toronto based Multiplicity operates at the intersection of enabling founders to build great startups and helping enterprise develop innovation. Multiplicity operates a portfolio of grassroots accelerator programs with a global reach.
Please visit www.multiplicitylabs.com to find out more.
Contact
Vanessa Bohlscheid
Senior Manager, INFINITI Product and Brand Communications
646-496-2791
vanessa.bohlscheid@infiniti.com
