Nearly 50 Startups from Around the World Confirmed to Showcase Mobility Innovations as Part of AutoMobili-D

DETROIT, Dec. 6, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) announced today that through its strategic partnership with Techstars Mobility, nearly 50 startups from around the world will participate and showcase their innovative mobility platforms as part of AutoMobili-D.

"Through our ground-breaking AutoMobili-D showcase, the North American International Auto Show is the first auto show to feature a dedicated startup expo featuring companies from around the world that are tackling every aspect of future automotive mobility," said Sam Slaughter, 2017 NAIAS Chairman. "Of the startups featured in AutoMobili-D, close to 90 percent of them are currently working with global automakers and suppliers to bring their technologies and concepts to production, a truly remarkable achievement."

Only two of the confirmed startups are from Michigan, the rest are from around the U.S. and countries abroad, including Canada, Dubai, London and Portugal. These startups will showcase a wide-range of mobility technologies and innovative platforms to an international media and industry audience, ranging from artificial intelligence and machine learning, to autonomous and connected platforms, to infrastructure communications and security applications.

"It's amazing to see the world-wide response from startups that want to come to Detroit for the 2017 North American International Auto Show. These companies are fueling the innovation that is part of the massive change of the automotive industry shift to the mobility industry. They recognize the importance of being present at the center of the automotive industry: Detroit," said Ted Serbinski, Managing Director, Techstars Mobility.

Startup companies include:

• Civil Maps – cognition for cars, enabling autonomous vehicles to crowdsource a comprehensive map for safe, smooth driving.
• Donut Media – digital media central for the next generation of automotive and motorsports enthusiasts.
• LISNR – ultrasonic inaudible technology; a communication protocol that sends data over audio.
• Mapbox – platform used by developers to power maps and location for hundreds of millions of users. Mapbox Drive is a full solution for mobility, from open source libraries for Android and Qt to telemetry-based road topology data to enable self-driving cars.
• PolySync – products and services that simplify and accelerate the development, testing, and deployment of self-driving cars.
• Spatial – artificial intelligence location platform and API that enables vehicles to answer location questions only a local would know using real time social data.
• SPLT – focused on moving people efficiently and sustainably in urban and suburban areas. Its team is devoted to improving mobility in cities and reducing our collective carbon footprint with innovative transportation solutions in partnership with Lyft.

Techstars Mobility is the first North American accelerator focused on the future of transportation and mobility. Headquartered in downtown Detroit, Techstars Mobility has invested in 22 mobility startups, from all around the world, in the last 18 months. They are collectively valued at over $100 million. Applications for its third program, running during the late summer of 2017, will be announced at a press conference during the 2017 NAIAS.

AutoMobili-D will run from Sunday, Jan. 8 to Thursday, Jan. 12 as part of the North American International Auto Show's Press Preview week and feature over 120 companies within a dedicated 120,000 sq. ft. dynamic exposition. John Krafcik, CEO of Google's Self-Driving Car Project will keynote the kickoff of AutoMobili-D.

NAIAS recently announced that Planet M is a significant partner to AutoMobili-D and will bring in organizations, companies and universities from around the state of Michigan to showcase their mobility platforms at NAIAS' global stage.

About Techstars

Techstars is a global ecosystem that empowers entrepreneurs to bring new technologies to market wherever they choose to live. With dozens of mentorship-driven accelerator programs, including Techstars Mobility, and thousands of startup programs worldwide, Techstars exists to support the world's most promising entrepreneurs throughout their lifelong journey, from inspiration to IPO. Techstars provides access to tens of thousands of community leaders, founders, mentors, investors, and corporate partners, allowing entrepreneurs to accelerate the pace of innovation and Do More Faster™. Techstars supports every stage of the entrepreneurial journey – from early stage grassroots community development to more formal opportunities that provide education, experience, acceleration, funding, and beyond. For more information, visit www.techstars.com.

About the North American International Auto Show
Now in its 29th year as an international event, the NAIAS is among the most prestigious auto shows in the world, providing unparalleled access to the automotive products, technologies, people and ideas that matter most – up close and in one place. Administered by executive director Rod Alberts, the NAIAS is one of the largest media events in North America, and the only auto show in the United States to earn an annual distinguished sanction of the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d'Automobiles, the Paris-based alliance of automotive trade associations and manufacturers from around the world. For more information, visit naias.com.

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2017 NAIAS Dates:
The Gallery – Saturday, January 7, 2017
AutoMobili-D – Sunday-Thursday, January 8-12, 2017 
Press Preview – Monday-Tuesday, January 9-10, 2017
Industry Preview – Wednesday-Thursday, January 11-12, 2017
Charity Preview – Friday, January 13, 2017
Public Show – Saturday-Sunday, January 14-22, 2017

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SOURCE North American International Auto Show

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