Drive with Belron launches for applications

We’re looking for startups that can improve our operations and trial their products and ideas with a global organisation. Applications for the programme need to be in by 4 February 2018.

Applications have now opened for our third global accelerator alongside investor and innovation partner L Marks. We are looking for startups that can help us innovate in the following areas:

• Artificial Intelligence: any innovative product or service that can help us improve and automate our interaction with our customers and partners; use data to make autonomous real-time decisions and help support our technicians diagnose damage.
• Making our customer journey even better: serving over 15 million people a year, we’re looking for ideas that make the end-to-end customer journey as seamless and easy possible.
• Make working life easier for our people: technology to help improve internal systems, process and communication to make the working life of our 13,000 technicians and other people easier to better help customers.
• Transform the vehicle body damage market: ideas and solutions that can transform the motorist and insurer experience when solving a vehicle body damage problem or improve internal processes when completing a body damage repair.
• Wildcard: We’re open to learning and being surprised by what new technologies and different approaches can do for our people and customers. This new category aims to welcome any other startup with ideas they believe can make a difference.

Find out more about our categories.

Each team will receive:

• The chance to trial their product in a ready-made international market
• Access to expert mentoring from senior leadership as well as experienced entrepreneurs
• Dedicated office space in Milton Park
• Access to investment from a fund of £200,000

We’re looking forward to hearing from startups at every stage, from anywhere in the world, and with innovative ideas or solutions to apply for a chance to pitch their ideas in March. The startups with winning pitches will be partnered with one of our Business Units and the 10-week programme will begin in April 2018.

Nick Burton, Chief Information and Digital Officer at Belron said: “We’re thrilled to be launching Drive today. This is our third programme and we’re looking forwarding to bringing in more innovators with technologies that they want to test in a global company. By giving these startups unparalleled access to our brands around the world, along with education and investment support, we can help them accelerate their businesses too.”

Hear Nick explain more about this year’s programme.

Find out more about Drive.

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