JLR to work with firms for vehicle tech, sustainability with 'Open Innovation' strategy

MANILA: Jaguar Land Rover has announced a so-called "Open Innovation" strategy, to accelerate next-generation technology and sustainability to support its Modern Luxury vision for the business, its partners, and customers.

Open Innovation will drive Jaguar Land Rover's collaborations with start-ups, scale-ups, and like-minded external organizations.

The British brand will work with these firms for electrification, connectivity, digital services, metaverse, intelligent enterprise, manufacturing, supply chain and sustainability.

As part of the new global strategy, Jaguar Land Rover will launch a first-of-its kind innovation hub in the UK, in partnership with the corporate innovation platform and investor, Plug and Play. In addition, two separate partnerships with Cubo Itau and Firjan will provide access to the vibrant Latin American start-up ecosystem.

The announcement is part of Jaguar Land Rover’s Reimagine strategy. In the strategy, the carmaker aims to be the creator of the world’s most desirable, luxury vehicles for the most discerning of customers.

By collaborating with innovators and sector experts, the Open Innovation program will help the business identify digital services, products, tools, and processes for it to achieve its goal of net zero by 2039, while creating new value chains for the business.

As a Founding Partner of Plug and Play UK, Jaguar Land Rover is building an ecosystem of start-ups and scale-ups that will create jobs and opportunities for the digital economy.

The platform will also provide access to a global ecosystem of potential partners, enabling the organization to test new technologies and business models. Activities will be located close to Jaguar Land Rover’s headquarters in the West Midlands, the heart of the UK’s automotive industry.

Cubo Itau, located in São Paulo, currently hosts hundreds of start-ups covering several industries like fintech, agribusiness, healthcare and retail. Jaguar Land Rover will play a key role in Cubo’s newly created Smart Mobility Hub, which will spearhead innovations for the automotive sector.

Firjan, is a private entity that represents industrial and business sectors in Rio de Janeiro state. With a 10,000-strong network of enterprise members, Firjan will work closely with Jaguar Land Rover to connect start-ups who are developing advanced automotive manufacturing processes and provide access to advanced laboratories for R&D programs.

To enable Open Innovation, Jaguar Land Rover has appointed 70-plus ‘champions’ from across key business areas – including sustainability, engineering, design, research, and manufacturing – that will be at the forefront of driving the strategy. 

Photos from Jaguar Land Rover

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