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Honda Partners With Israeli Tech Company DRIVE

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DRIVE's launch team commemorates the smart mobility innovation center's opening in Tel Aviv, Israel.

DRIVE’s launch team commemorates the smart mobility innovation center’s opening in Tel Aviv

Today Honda Silicon Valley Lab (HSVL) of Honda R&D Americas announced a partnership with DRIVE, a smart mobility innovation center that just opened in Tel Aviv, Israel. The goal is for the Japanese automaker to expand its in-market support of Israeli startups and entrepreneurs.

DRIVE represents a first-of-its-kind hub that will foster enhanced collaboration between Honda R&D and transportation innovators in Israel, where a booming tech sector is driving new startups and entrepreneurs. DRIVE offers a startup accelerator, advanced prototyping labs, meeting rooms, and a shared workspace to encourage collaboration between the more than 5,000 startups and 750 venture-capital-backed companies that call Israel home.

As a DRIVE partner, Honda will provide expertise, funding, and rapid prototyping opportunities to startups through its Honda Xcelerator open innovation program.


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“Honda Xcelerator has engaged with a broad array of startups in Israel over the last few years, working on innovative technologies with the potential to transform our future products,” said Dennis Clark, Strategic Alliance Lead for Honda Xcelerator. “Our partnership with DRIVE will enable Honda to collaborate even more closely with local innovators and continue to accelerate and drive innovation.”

In addition to Honda, Hertz Rent a Car International, Israeli telematics company Ituran, and Volvo Cars are also all supporting DRIVE.

“DRIVE was created from a significant need in the world of smart mobility entrepreneurs to hone real market needs through collaboration with market leaders, creation of initial stage prototypes, and the ability to back the collaboration with focused investments,” said Boaz Mamo, DRIVE’s CEO. “Our partnership with Honda Xcelerator will help the most promising Israeli mobility startups to have quick market validation and access to one of the leading OEM’s open innovation programs in the world.”


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