New Delhi :European aviation major Airbus today inaugurated its third aerospace business accelerator BizLab, in Bengaluru after Toulouse(France)and Hamburg (Germany) as part of its strategy to establish a global network.
The company also announced opening of the first round of applications for start-ups, seeking supports for early-stage projects in the region, according to a release.
A screening committee, which includes Airbus’s Chief Innovation Officer, Yann Barbaux, and the Head of the Airbus BizLabs, Bruno Gutierres, will select the most promising ideas, it said.
Airbus had set up the first such facility at Toulouse in March this year, for providing wide-ranging support for early-stage projects in the form of a six-month acceleration programme, through which entrepreneurs, start-up businesses and Airbus employee “intrapreneurs” are given access to a large number of coaches, experts and mentors across various domains.
These domains include technology, legal, finance, marketing and communications, easing prototyping and market access, among others.
The BizLab in Bengaluru will be co-located with the French star-up accelerator NUMA and the two will create strong synergies between their accelerators, from start-up selection to specific events to benefit from their respective ecosystem (mentors, experts, investors), the release said.
“Airbus has always been at the forefront of innovation to create more value for our customers, With the Airbus BizLab Bangalore, we are broadening our horizons and we aim to accelerate the rise of an Indian aeronautical entrepreneurship,” Gutierres said.
India is strategic for Airbus and its is committed to increasing its footprint in the country, Airbus Executive Vice President for strategy and marketing Kiran Rao said adding, “setting up Airbus BizLab Bangalore, reinforces this commitment by further enhancing India’s aerospace entrepreneurial eco-system.”
PTI