New York. The URBAN-X startup platform, supported by MINI, is expanding its MINI Impact Program in its second year to promote new ideas on sustainability. URBAN-X by MINI aims to support transformative climate technologies and find innovative solutions to tackle the toughest challenges faced by cities. Startups from Brazil, Mexico, India, South Africa, Portugal, France, and Germany are invited to participate in this year’s Call for Applications starting in August. The first startup to be confirmed comes from Spain: Gravity Wave, which collects and recycles plastic waste from the oceans to create street furniture.
In the next phase, URBAN-X and MINI will select startups to take part in the four-week program. During this time, teams will work remotely for three weeks and then spend one week in person collaborating with URBAN-X experts in New York. The entrepreneurs will receive customized support according to the stage and needs of their startup. For startups at the idea stage, the focus will be on customer discovery, developing a business roadmap, and perfecting the pitch for their solutions. For companies at the seed stage, the product and pitch will be reviewed, a strategy for entering the US market will be formulated, and the supply chain will be assessed.
Ideas for combating climate change.
URBAN-X has already supported over 100 startups in the past seven years by helping them develop innovative and scalable solutions. As the urgency to combat climate change increases, URBAN-X expanded its platform last year with the MINI Impact Program, leveraging MINI’s global distribution network to maximize impact in the face of growing climate challenges in cities worldwide.
To further engage and activate local networks, the MINI Impact Program 2023 is collaborating with local partners such as the architecture accelerator FAIRE Paris in France, the innovation lab Urban Innovation in Germany, and the global urban tech platform Utopia outside of Europe.
Applications for the program will open in the first week of August at https://142-urban-x.webflow.io/programs/mini-impact-program.
About URBAN-X
URBAN-X is a platform created by MINI in 2016 for founders who want to reimagine city life. It partners with startups to develop innovative technology solutions for a sustainable future. Unlike traditional startup programs, URBAN-X offers tailored support to early-stage entrepreneurs, accelerating their growth and helping them build successful businesses as the next generation of climate- and city-focused innovators. URBAN-X provides world-class engineering and design resources, investment capital from their venture partner JVP, access to a global network of investors, policymakers, corporate strategists, and customers, as well as premier educational content for founders worldwide. You can find URBAN-X on Twitter & Instagram at @urbanxtech or visit their website at https://urban-x.com/.