Autoliv Inc., a global provider of automotive safety systems, has announced that it will make a $15 million investment in Autotech Ventures, the digital ground transport venture capital fund.
Autotech Ventures is a specialized digital ground transport venture capital fund, particularly focused on software and services. In addition to the potential financial returns, it provides top-level corporate investors such as Autoliv with access to a broad deal flow, co-investment rights for the fund’s startups and provides independent opinion on startups as well as a high decision-making speed.
Autoliv’s investment in Autotech Ventures, a fund focused broadly on the automotive industry compliments Autoliv’s own innovation strategy, particularly in the areas of active safety and autonomous driving.
Autoliv made its first entry in the automotive electronics market 15 years ago. Since then, Autoliv has grown to become a major player in segments of the automotive electronics market, particularly with respect to active safety products and technologies for autonomous driving as well as passive safety electronics. Autoliv’s Electonics segment represents more than 20 percent of the company’s annual revenues.
The company says this success has been built through both organic growth and acquisitions. With the pace of innovation accelerating, this type of investment in a specialized fund will be one way to stay at the forefront of emerging trends and opportunities to capitalize on external innovations.
“The automotive industry is in a period of unprecedented change. The combination of increased focus on autonomous driving, environmental concerns and shared mobility leads to new opportunities for industry leaders such as Autoliv. The Autotech Ventures fund gives us a way to review a high number of innovative startup companies, particularly in the areas of automation and autonomous driving which are core to our strategy,” said Jan Carlson, chairman, president and CEO of Autoliv.
For more about Autotech Ventures, see autotechvc.com.
