Winners chosen in 12th annual Global Automotive & Mobility Innovation Challenge

DETROIT, May 6, 2020 – The Global Automotive & Mobility Innovation Challenge (GAMIC) selected four (4) innovation start-ups as Award Winners of 2020 GAMIC Finals, held virtually to a global viewers on 24 April 2020.  The twelve (12) Finalists from Japan, Canada, Germany and USA – selected and mentored over the past eight months from a pool of over 90 global applicants – offered a broad array of technologies to advance vehicle transportation systems of the future.

GAMIC Finals Program – Following introductions by GAMIC Co-Founder David Stout and 2020 GAMIC Chair Vic Havele, each of the 12 Finalists pitched their innovations in a 10-minute presentation, followed by 5 minutes of judges’ Q&A.  The global judging panel represented automotive (Ford Motor Company, Bosch and PRUV Mobility); economic development and equity investment (PlanetM / MEDC and Denso Ventures); and academia (University of Bologna).

In addition to these new technologies for mobility innovation, the audience was introduced to a set of tools for scenario planning and decision-making in times of chaos, “Turning Uncertainty into Action through S.T.O.R.M.S.”.  Organized and moderated by Fabian Koark, Principal Consultant at Invensity, the panel for this Fireside Chat included:

  • Devin Lindsay, Principal Research Analyst, IHSMarkit
  • John Bennett, VP R&D, Meritor
  • Shadi Mere, CEO, Bedestrian (a 2019 GAMIC Award Winner)

The Finals ended with presentations on GAMIC and the innovation eco-systems by sponsor Eaton Corporation (John Jennings); GAMIC co-partner MI Innovation Alliance (Milton Roye); and State of Michigan partner Planet M / MEDC (Katelyn Crain).

At the end of the day, Finals Judge Mazen Hammoud of Ford Motor Company said “I thoroughly enjoyed being part of GAMIC, and was very impressed by the caliber of the entries. It speaks volumes to the value these start-ups see in what GAMIC has to offer.”

GAMIC Award Winners – The four GAMIC 2020 Award Winners, notable examples of the types of changes transpiring in the mobility space, are:

Category 1 – Electrified Mobility

  • Serinus Labs:Early-warning technology to predict battery failure, and avoid EV battery module fire or explosion hazards.   Berkeley, California, USA.   serinuslabs.com

Category 2 – Connected Mobility

  • Caliber Data Labs: Platform to simplify AI workflow management for perception-heavy applications such as autonomous vehicles, surveillance and industrial robotics. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.   caliberdatalabs.ai

Category 3 – Autonomous Mobility

  • Intvo: Smart AI software to observe, predict and classify pedestrian behavior for autonomous vehicle performance and safety. Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.   intvo.com

Category 4 – Conventional Mobility Technology Innovations

PlanetM – Best in Michigan Mobility Award – $10,000 Award, partnered with GAMIC

  • Intvo: Smart AI software to observe, predict and classify pedestrian behavior for autonomous vehicle performance and safety. Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.   com

GAMIC Winners, competing in the above four categories, will have access to more than $300k of in-kind commercialization assistance and cash to accelerate their businesses in the North American automotive and mobility market. In-kind commercialization prizes include business development and incubation, investor prep, legal advisory, and technical modeling – as well as exposure and targeted introductions to OEM / Supplier executives with decision-making responsibility, budgets, and need for the types of technologies offered by the Award Winners.

Previous GAMIC Winners and Finalists have gone on to great success, including: being acquired or joint venturing; inking major licensing contracts; accelerating product launch; and obtaining additional development funding due to their enhanced visibility.

Major sponsors for GAMIC 2020 include SAE International, Automation Alley, Eaton Corporation, ESG Automotive, Market Results, PlanetM and Sterne Kessler.  GAMIC is an Accredited Partner of STEM.ORG  and is a sponsored activity of the MI Innovation Alliance, a 501-c-3 corporation.  For additional information visit eg8.bd8.myftpupload.com.

Applications for GAMIC 2021 will open 1 August 2020, at www.f6s.com/gamic13th.

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About MI Innovation Alliance

Since 1999, the MI Innovation Alliance has worked with thought-leading partners across the state and around the world to advance the science and implementation of technological innovation and best practices.

About GAMIC

The Global Automotive & Mobility Innovation Challenge, or GAMIC, is an annual competition for early-stage automotive and mobility companies with new technologies. It was created to: identify innovative companies from around the world; cultivate new technologies and solutions; and hasten their adoption into the automotive and mobility industries. Winners share more than $300k in commercialization acceleration services and cash, along with facilitated introductions to the industry’s top decision-makers and influencers.

About SAE International

SAE International is a global association committed to being the ultimate knowledge source for the engineering profession.  Uniting over 127,000 engineers and technical experts, SAE drives knowledge and expertise across a broad spectrum of mobility industries.  SAE’s two priorities are: 1) encouraging a lifetime of learning for mobility engineering professionals; and 2) setting the standards for industry engineering.