Toyota launches Toyota Open Labs to help startups build for a sustainable future

Toyota Open Labs is a new open innovation platform bringing together startups with business units across the Toyota ecosystem to help them scale up and develop future sustainability and mobility solutions. The programme will power Toyota’s transformation to a mobility company by deepening its expertise across energy, circular economy, carbon-neutral technologies, smart communities, and mobility initiatives.

Toyota Open Labs launches with a call for startups working across five key categories:

• Energy: technologies and systems to facilitate the energy transition, hydrogen economy, grid balancing, energy management, smart charging, and vehicle-to-grid energy transfers
• Circular Economy: technologies and systems to enable the recovery, recycling, and reuse of vehicles and batteries
• Carbon Neutrality: technologies and systems helping companies and society reduce carbon emissions, and digitalisation to enable transparent life cycle assessment
• Smart Communities: new business models and solutions to develop and support smart communities through vehicle sharing, subscriptions, and mobility hubs
• Mobility for All: solutions to overcome mobility barriers, strengthen mobility systems and mobilise low-carbon communities, addressing the needs of an aging society and devising universal designs for all users

Toyota Open Labs partners include Toyota Tsusho Europe, the trading and supply-chain arm of the Toyota group; KINTO Europe, the Toyota group’s mobility brand; Woven Capital, Toyota’s growth-stage venture fund; and Toyota Mobility Foundation, a non-profit foundation by Toyota.

Startups selected during the open call  will be able to engage with a diverse network of advisors and mentors, open new growth pathways, enhance their business strategy and investment opportunities, make informed product enhancements and build relationships to help make a global impact.

Participants will have the opportunity to develop a proof of concept with Toyota, explore market entry routes, and partner with the Toyota ecosystem. Each participant will receive development support and the chance to showcase their technology at a demo day, due to take place during the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

Kylie Jimenez, SVP People, Tech and Corporate Affairs at Toyota Motor Europe, said: “If you are a startup focused on solving tomorrow’s sustainability and mobility challenges, Toyota Open Labs is the right place for you. Toyota is developing mobility systems that will sustainably reinvent how we live, work, and play on a global scale. Toyota Open Labs represents a unique opportunity to turn bold startup visions into reality through unparalleled support from our innovation ecosystem.”

George Kellerman, VP of Investments and Acquisitions at Woven by Toyota and Managing Director of Woven Capital commented: “Solving mobility and sustainability challenges is a critical issue that deserves to be on the world’s biggest stages. Europe’s vibrant innovation ecosystem in these areas presents immense potential, and we are excited to partner with startups to help transform their exciting early-stage ventures into scalable solutions.”

Miguel Fonseca, CEO KINTO Europe said: “KINTO’s mission to accelerate Toyota’s transition to become a mobility company cannot be achieved without the contribution of external partners, aligned with its transformative mission and strategy. The brand-new Toyota Open Labs platform is the perfect place for startups to engage with us in this fundamental transition.” 

Laurent Gallois, Head of Business Development at Toyota Tsusho Europe added: “In our fast-changing environment where sustainability and circularity embody the new normal, we strongly support initiatives such as Toyota Open Labs to bring new ideas, strengths and momentum to cultivate our group’s uniqueness.”

Monica Perez Lobo, Director Toyota Mobility Foundation Europe commented: “Toyota Mobility Foundation has a core vision, ‘To Create an Ever-Better Mobility Society’. It implements projects together with municipalities, non-profits, local communities, universities, and innovators, in Japan, Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Africa. To bring this vision to life, we support startups with innovative ideas that help us build a future that is inclusive, sustainable, and carbon free. The Toyota Open Labs platform is a great way to grasp new ideas and future visions of mobility from startups all around Europe.”

For more information about the Toyota Open Labs platform and to apply for the programme, please visit toyotaopenlabs.com.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

Toyota Open Labs partner companies include Toyota Motor Europe, Toyota Tsusho Europe, KINTO Europe, Toyota Mobility Foundation, and Woven Capital. Learn more at toyotaopenlabs.com.