New £500,000 grant for self-driving start-ups

Zenzic has launched a support programme for UK-based start-ups and SMEs to bring self-driving vehicle technologies to market faster, giving them access to testing facilities and a share of £500,000 in grant funding, delivered by the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles. 

The most promising start-ups and SMEs will also benefit from support and mentoring from Silicon Valley’s Plug and Play, links to corporate and venture capital partners across Europe and Silicon Valley, and the opportunity to present at the relevant Plug and Play Summit in Silicon Valley and other international offices with the aim of generating inward investment.

They will also gain Zenzic’s insights from the UK Connected and Automated Mobility Roadmap to 2030.

Daniel Ruiz, CEO of Zenzic, said: “The UK has a strong track record delivering trusted world class solutions across safety assurance, cyber security, simulation, and certification.

"All these capabilities are vital to support the safe roll out of CAM (Connected and Automated Mobility) services over the next 10 years, as per the UK Connected and Automated Mobility Roadmap to 2030.

"The Zenzic CAM Scale-Up Programme will enable SMEs and start-ups already working in these sectors to deliver their innovative products to market much faster, and facilitate SMEs in adjacent sectors to pivot solutions into this market.

"The opportunity to safeguard and support new UK capabilities is now all the more important as the country seeks to accelerate growth out of the sharp economic downturn.”

Seena Amidi, managing director and board member of Plug and Play, said: "At Plug and Play we are firm believers that innovation at scale can be achieved through partnerships between corporations, innovative start-ups, government and academia.

"We are excited to partner with Zenzic to support the UK's connected and autonomous revolution by enabling the most promising ideas and companies to scale, through pilot funding and a global Plug and Play ecosystem of partners and investors.”