Hyundai Motor Group Starts ‘2021 EV Open Innovation Challenge’ for Charging Infrastructure and Service Solutions

Hyundai Motor Group (the Group), a global automotive corporation leading the era of electric mobility, is opening the 2021 EV Open Innovation Challenge following the successful completion of the EV and Battery Challenge launched in 2020.

The 2021 EV Open Innovation Challenge is a program to facilitate collaboration with startups on various projects related to charging infrastructure and service solutions for electric vehicles (EV). New Energy Nexus, the international startup support organization that managed the 2020 program, is facilitating this year’s program as well.

The Group aims to discover promising startups, explore commercial opportunities and encourage the implementation of pilot programs in North America.

Startups can apply for one project only under one of nine categories: bi-directional charging, smart charging, robotics, infrastructure, in-car payment, service while plugged-in, battery management system (BMS), gig economy, and new technology.

Only registered corporations will be eligible for consideration and must apply on the official application website, from Sept. 27 to Nov. 8. Selections will be announced in December 2021.

The EV Open Innovation Challenge recruits startups and entrepreneurs with innovative EV-charging products and services that are ready to scale in North America. The Group organizations that are sponsoring the program include Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation, Hyundai Glovis US, and Hyundai CRADLE Silicon Valley as well as New Energy Nexus.

“We are excited to launch this open call to discover startups with potential EV infrastructure and service solutions,” said Dr. Youngcho Chi, President and Chief Innovation Officer at Hyundai Motor Group. “We expect this program to be a launchpad for rapidly scaling product offerings in the U.S. charging network.”

Danny Kennedy, Chief Energy Officer at New Energy Nexus, said, “We are honored to be working with corporations who see the value in empowering entrepreneurs to catalyze the transition to clean energy. The Group will pave the way for startups in the EV-charging space to launch and scale their future technologies in North America.”

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