Maruti Suzuki partners with five startups to boost efficiency and sustainability

Maruti Suzuki India Limited has partnered with five startups to enhance operational efficiency and customer experience. The selected startups—MiniMines, Easework AI, Sarvam AI, Siftly, and CodeMate AI—were chosen from the fifth cohort of the Maruti Suzuki Incubation Program. The program is run with NSRCEL, the entrepreneurship hub at IIM Bangalore.

Key Highlights

• Maruti Suzuki partners with five startups from its fifth Incubation Program cohort.
• MiniMines to focus on recycling end-of-life lithium-ion batteries and material extraction.
• Easework AI, Sarvam AI, Siftly, and CodeMate AI to enhance digital operations and customer engagement.
• Maruti Suzuki has screened 7400 startups and partnered with 38 over seven years.

Startup Collaboration Details

Hisashi Takeuchi, The managing director and CEO of Maruti Suzuki India stated that the company collaborates with startups to solve real business challenges. MiniMines will help Maruti Suzuki recycle end-of-life lithium-ion batteries and extract valuable materials in an environmentally friendly manner. The other four startups will focus on digital and operational improvements.

Easework AI will automate procurement workflows for indirect consumables using agentic artificial intelligence. Sarvam AI will deploy generative AI agents with multilingual capabilities to improve customer interactions across various touchpoints. Siftly will use generative AI to strengthen Maruti Suzuki's brand visibility. CodeMate AI will apply AI tools to accelerate the development of software applications used in the company's business processes.

Innovation Programs and Startup Engagement

Maruti Suzuki has launched several innovation-focused programs for startups. The Maruti Suzuki Accelerator began in 2019, followed by the Incubation Program in 2020. In 2021, the company introduced the Mobility Challenge. In 2023, Maruti Suzuki started the Nurture pre-incubation initiative with IIM Calcutta Innovation Park. The FundRays investment-readiness program was launched in September 2025 with ISB Hyderabad.

Over the past seven years, Maruti Suzuki has screened about 7,400 startups. The company has engaged with more than 250 startups and onboarded 38 as partners. These efforts aim to drive innovation and address business needs across the company's operations.

Also Read: Maruti Suzuki Swift sees price increase across most variants in June 2026

CarBike 360 Says

Maruti Suzuki’s collaboration with startups signals a forward-looking strategy focused on innovation, efficiency, and sustainability. By integrating fresh ideas and advanced technologies, the company aims to strengthen its competitive edge while supporting greener mobility solutions. This initiative not only enhances operational capabilities but also reinforces Maruti Suzuki’s commitment to shaping a more sustainable and future-ready automotive ecosystem in India.