DETROIT – SAE International, in partnership with MIT Alliance of Michigan and NextEnergy, Tuesday announced the 7th Annual Global Automotive Innovation Challenge.
Innovators will be asked to submit an online Request for Solutions proposal to one, or more, of the challenge categories by 11:59 pm EST on March 6. A judging panel will review the submissions and select semifinalists. A Semi-finals presentation will be held at NextEnergy in Detroit April 2 and the challenge finals will be held at the SAE World Congress on April 21.
Four first place winners will be selected from the following categories:
Category one: Vehicle electrification, V2X and advanced mobility
Category two: Advanced materials, sensors, and manufacturing processes
Category three: Infotainment, auto consumer and value chain/business model
Category four: New high value and disruptive technology innovations
?The competition is designed to identify innovative companies and cultivate new technologies and solutions for the automotive industry,? said David Stout, SAE International board of directors and co-founder of SAE World Congress. ?The competition has proven fruitful in the past with results like our first year winner, EmiSense Technologies, who has continued making progress by securing $3 million in funds to expand product development for clean technologies with better cost and accuracy to digitally measure oxygen and nitrous-oxide. We are encouraged by our previous winners? success stories and look forward to what this year?s competition has in store for the industry.?
More than $200,000 worth of business commercialization acceleration services and cash will be awarded to four winners. NextEnergy, MICHAuto, GM Ventures, Franco Public Relations Group, Eisbrenner Public Relations, AutoHarvest, Original Equipment Suppliers Association (OESA), AutoTech Technology Development, Technology Highway, Quinn Law Group and BrooksKushman are serving as sponsors with some providing cash and/or in-kind business commercialization acceleration services to the winners.
?The automotive market needs better innovation faster to keep up with global consumer expectations and regulatory changes,? said Dennis Nash, MIT Alliance of Michigan collaboration chairperson and co-founder of SAE World Congress. ?The OEMs and Automotive Suppliers are looking for innovative partners to support this journey due to many reductions in engineering and research and development budgets. This annual competition with experienced judges, coaches and industry sponsors ? that have included AVL, GM, Ford, Bosch, Alcoa, AutoTech, Technology Highway and others ? has helped fast-path commercialization efforts of finalists and helped the other teams fine tune their commercialization plans.?
?The challenge is a great program for accelerating advanced technologies and commercialization,? said Dan Radomski, vice president, industry and venture development, NextEnergy. ?The winning technologies will help the automotive industry and spur economic and industry growth in Michigan. Our judges panel is looking forward to evaluating the applications.?
For more information about the Global Automotive Innovation Challenge or to submit an application, Click on NextEnergy.Org
