Lear Corp. and Plug and Play, a global startup accelerator and corporate innovation platform, announced a strategic partnership focused on advancing mobility innovation in the automotive industry.
The partnership will be coordinated through the Silicon Valley office of Lear Innovation Ventures (LIV) in San Mateo, California.
The relationship provides Lear with the opportunity to collaborate with and mentor startups in the Plug and Play ecosystem and heightens Lear’s involvement in the mobility technology space, the company said. Plug and Play has developed global accelerator programs, corporate innovation services and an in-house venture capital fund “to make technological-advancement progress faster than ever before.”
“Plug and Play is well-known globally for its ability to attract the best startups and investments across a variety of technical industries,” said John Absmeier, Lear’s chief technology officer. “The purpose of LIV is finding the best collaborative opportunities to enhance the future of mobility and user experiences. We are looking forward to joining this ecosystem and helping the next wave of startups flourish.”
LIV focuses on product, process and business-model innovation and is centered on intensifying activities around the autonomous, connected, electrified and shared-mobility trends. The LIV ecosystem is varied and vibrant, ranging from leveraging Lear’s entire 169,000-member global team, to collaborations with world-class businesses, to connecting with outside partners from the startup, accelerator and incubator, design and venture communities, according to the company.
“We are thrilled to connect disruptive startup technologies with Lear’s industry leading interior automotive systems, said Candace Widdoes, chief operating officer at Plug and Play. “The combination will serve as a powerful force in the future of the mobility experience.”
