Nexus Innovation Committee Startup Challenge
About Sparker
Founded in 2022 in France, SPARKER has a real ambition to become the most innovative & influential community of Startups, Investors, and the spectrum of Automotive corporates to Accelerate Innovation in Sustainable Mobility.
We’re gathering all Sustainable Mobility stakeholders under SparkerHub: our unique innovation platform designed to enable real-time connections.
The SparkerHub ecosystem connects Startups, Investors, and Automotive Corporates on a global scale with unprecedented ease of access to enable true Open Innovation and productive partnerships.
The Challenge
Nexus Automotive International [NAI] is a leading trading group in the
automotive aftermarket sector, with a presence in 140 countries,
providing services to its members’ community of over 2000
automotive parts distributors. NAI is committed to bring innovative
solutions to support its members’ community and has set up the
innovation committee with the main objective to generate new
business opportunities through collaboration and potential
investments with carefully selected startups.
Sparker is managing the NAI Innovation Committee and has organized
this challenge to select the best startups.
Sparker will invite the selected startups to NAI Innovation Committee for an online pitch of 5 minutes followed by a Q&A.
Why Apply?
The selected startups will benefit from:
- A unique opportunity to enter into a partnership agreement
with NAI as an innovative supplier and be actively promoted
throughout their global members’ community and their
network of garages. The decision will be taken by NAI
Innovation and Strategic Committees and followed by further
discussion with the startup on the partnership agreement
terms. - An option to enter into a tailored business development agreement, leveraging the support of a dedicated business
developer. - Opportunities to engage in direct collaboration or investment
discussions with members of the innovation committee. - Special visibility as challenge winner within SparkeHub digital
platform towards other investors or corporate customers.
Who can Apply?
The participation is open to all startups members of the Sparker
community. We welcome newcomers!
The startup has passed Pre-Seed and is before Series C stage
The product presented is beyond Proof Of Concept
Application Deadline: This is a rolling application for pitch sessions every 6 weeks on average.
Publication of results: 1 week prior to each session
Innovation Committee sessions (Online): June 20, 2023; July 18,
2023; Sept 6, 2023; Oct 18, 2023; Nov 29, 2023; Jan 10, 2024
For each pitch session, 2 startups are selected based on their
technology, their traction, the quality of the team, and the potential
business fit with NAI members’ community.
Startups active in one of the following pillars will be considered:
- Vehicle Diagnostic Solutions: Solutions to improve diagnostics
performance for workshops, adaptation to new technologies
(ADAS, EVs, data collection…) and vehicle failures, preventive
maintenance, vehicle maintenance history - Innovative aftermarket Parts: Innovative vehicle parts,
accessories, and solutions adapted for the aftermarket e.g:
Vehicle connectivity solutions - Workshop operations: Special repair tools adapted to new
technologies, voice guidance, smart voice interfaces for operators,
automatization of tasks, Easy access to repair information,
applications to enhance workshop customer’s experience and
retention, workshop management systems, workshop network
management systems - EV-related specific services: Adapted charging solutions for best
efficiency, workshops selling charging services, retrofit of ICE
vehicles to EV, battery health and safety check services, battery
repair solutions - Road assistance services: Portable roadside charging
- Training/Learning solutions to upskill workshop employees
- Logistics management: Solutions to improve/optimize all logistics
operations (potentially supported by AI), sustainable/green
logistics, use of Commercial Evs or alternative fuels, use of
Micro-mobility networks - Warehouse management: Solutions to improve warehouse
operations, enhanced forecasting solutions to optimize stock,
automatization, robotization, AI-based technologies, and smart
voice interfaces. - Circular economy: Repaired and remanufactured parts business,
reverse logistics of parts, business of second life for batteries.
Sparker will welcome the startups by email and proceed to onboard them to the Sparker digital platform.
After closing the selection process, Sparker will inform the selected
startups by email and communicate the results internally to NAI
Innovation Committee members.
Selected startups will be tagged as winners of Nexus Innovation
Challenge on Sparker digital platform.
As a winner of the challenge we will expect from your startup:
- To ensure a smooth and successful organization of the event by
meeting deadlines as set out by the Sparker team - To participate punctually and assiduously in the event
- To spread a good and professional brand image on social
networks and during the event (clean space, respectful
behaviors, conforming to basic code of ethics) - To provide feedback and testimony on your participation in the event in due time.
Should you have any further questions regarding this challenge, please contact the Sparker startup team at
startup@sparker-hub.com
