Hella recognised by leading innovation platform, Plug and Play

Innovation platform Plug and Play, the world’s largest start-up accelerator, has presented Hella with its Corporate Innovation Award 2017 in the Mobility category. The award recognises the automotive supplier’s commitment. Plug and Play aims to promote exchange among established industrial companies, investors and mentors, as well as agile start-up companies. Hella’s focus areas include questions regarding digitalisation, autonomous driving and electric mobility.

“The speed of innovation in the automotive industry is currently accelerating rapidly. In order to develop demanding solutions for tomorrow’s mobility, we increasingly favour new innovation formats and agile, dynamic start-up partnerships,” says Dr Rainer Holve, head of digital innovation at Hella. “Our commitment with Plug and Play impressively proves how successful the collaboration between industrial companies, such as Hella, and start-ups can be, in working together regarding the future of mobility.”

Plug and Play founder and CEO, Saeed Amidi, said: “As one of the innovation and technology leaders of the automotive industry, Hella is naturally an interesting partner for start-up companies. We are delighted that Hella has established itself as a committed partner to our network, while constructively assisting our young companies.” He went on: “We also notice how the culture and attitude of established industrial companies is changing little by little and that they are open to new technologies and ideas on which our start-ups are working.”

In May 2017, Hella organised a ‘Start-up Demo Day’ at the Plug and Play headquarters in Sunnyvale, California. More than half a dozen start-up companies used the opportunity to present their business models to more than 200 representatives of the international automotive industry.

Hella joined Plug and Play in October 2015 and has greatly promoted start-up initiatives ever since. Last year, the automotive supplier expanded its commitment to the Plug and Play platform to China and aims to intensify its cooperation with local Chinese start-ups in particular. Together with additional partners, Hella is also planning the construction of a Digital Innovation Campus at its Lippstadt company headquarters. Founding a regional innovation lab is also anticipated and is intended to act as an incubator and start-up centre, while strengthening local innovation and start-up culture.