Startup Opportunity – Worldwide Accelerator – Drive with Belron

January 10, 2018 Phillip Hofmann

A global accelerator program is taking applications from any startup offering innovative solutions to multiple product and service challenges. Drive with Belron, powered by investor and innovation partner L Marks, is back, launching a ten-week startup accelerator running from April to July 2018. Belron and L Marks will make available a total fund of £200,000/$270,000 to invest in winning startups.

Applications are open. Belron welcomes young businesses as well as startups at every stage to apply for a chance to pitch their ideas in March 2018.

Benefits

Each team involved in the programme will be partnered with one of our participating countries (last year’s participants included Spain, France, Germany and the US) with whom they will get an unparalleled opportunity to trial their products and solutions.

Each team will receive:

The chance to trial their product in a ready-made international market.
The chance to secure follow-on funding of up to £100,000/$135,000^[*^]per startup.
Sponsored visits to the Belron business unit the startup is partnered with.
The chance to secure a contract with Belron.
Access to a range of benefits and startups perks.
Access to expert mentoring from Belron senior leadership as well as experienced entrepreneurs.
Dedicated office space at Belron’s UK premises just outside London.

Previous Programme Results

Designed to fast track the growth of startups in areas that disrupt Belron’s ways of working, the 2018 accelerator follows the conclusion of the 2017 accelerator cohort. Accepted tech startups Blitzz, Locpin, Talking Circles and ThriveMap spent ten weeks working with Belron, immersing themselves in its global business operations in the US, Spain and France trialling their products. Three of the startups have also received direct investment so far.

Entrepreneurs and startup companies worldwide looking for an opportunity to trial and develop their products or technology in a global company should apply for the programme. Following a pitch day, five companies will be selected for a place on the accelerator programme, which is due to begin in April 2018.

Innovation Focus

There are five categories and Belron is looking for startups that want to trial their solutions and help them innovate:

Artificial Intelligence. Any innovative product or service that can help Belron improve and automate its interaction with its customers and partners; use data to make autonomous real-time decisions and help to support Belron field technicians diagnose damage.
Transform the vehicle body damage market. Ideas and solutions that transform the motorist and insurer experience when solving a vehicle body damage problem, or improve internal Belron processes when completing a body damage repair.
Creating the easiest personalised experience for Belron customers who want a seamless journey. Serving over 15 million people a year, Belron is looking for ideas that make the end-to-end customer journey as seamless and easy as possible.
Make working life easier for Belron people. Technology to help improve internal systems, process and communication to make the working life of the 13,000 on-the-road technicians and other Belron people easier, so they can better help customers.
Wildcard. Belron is open to learn and to be surprised by what new technologies and different approaches can do for its people and customers. This new category aims to welcome startups with ideas they believe can make a difference.

For more information, please visit: www.drivewithbelron.com.

About Drive with Belron

Drive with Belron was designed to find startups with disruptive solutions who could help improve operations and discover new ways of working. Understanding that innovative collaboration is crucial for continued development, the Drive with Belron accelerator is back for its third year.