Mercedes

Applications Open Until June 21; Five Startups to Be Selected Final Results to Be Announced at Year-End After 100-Day Nurturing Program

Mercedes-Benz Korea announced on June 5 that it is accepting applications from startups possessing future mobility technologies for its open innovation program, "Startup Autobahn Korea 2026," until June 21. The goal is to discover innovative startups and expand collaboration opportunities.

Startup Autobahn Korea 2026 Recruitment Announcement Official Poster. Mercedes-Benz Korea

Startup Autobahn is a global open innovation platform launched by Mercedes-Benz Group headquarters in 2016. Introduced to Korea in 2020, this year marks its seventh edition. To date, it has supported 58 startups by providing opportunities for technology verification (PoC), commercialization, and global collaboration, thereby contributing to the revitalization of the Korean startup ecosystem.

This year’s program will focus on five areas: artificial intelligence (AI), digital transformation (DX), work automation, customer experience improvement, and business-to-business (B2B) solutions, with a total of five companies to be selected. Startups can apply through the official Startup Autobahn Korea website. After proposal presentations and interviews with relevant business departments, the final participants will be announced in July.

The selected companies will explore opportunities for technical and business collaboration with various business departments at Mercedes-Benz Korea based on their own technologies. Over approximately 100 days, participants will receive regular mentoring from in-house experts and engineers, technical support, and other nurturing programs to help concretize technology validation and commercialization potential. They will present their final results at "Expo Day," scheduled to be held at the end of the year.

Meanwhile, last year Mercedes-Benz Korea signed a business agreement with the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the Korea Institute of Startup & Entrepreneurship Development to support domestic startups’ entry into the global market through the "Around X" global corporate collaboration program. Participating companies receive government funding for commercialization as well as mentoring and business verification benefits. Outstanding companies will have the opportunity to visit Mercedes-Benz headquarters, further supporting the expansion of their global networks.

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.