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BMW INNOVATION LAB

BMW Innovation Lab offers startups the opportunity to test their solutions in a live customer environment, as well as, dedicated mentorship from BMW UK’s senior management and external experts, access to investment and a collaborative working environment at the UK HQ in Farnborough.

Applications are now closed

Working with BMW Group UK

BMW Financial Services are committed to innovation and continue to look for transformative solutions that will improve their customer offering. This is BMW’s third Innovation Lab – it builds on the successes of previous iterations, which saw emerging partnerships with early-stage companies like Wrisk and Drover, and this year, it will take a focused approach of exploring one challenge at a time in three separate sprints. Successful startups will have access to first-class mentorship, accessing insights from leading subject matter experts in the automotive and auto finance sectors.  Each of the three ten-week programmes will be run in collaboration with corporate innovation specialist L Marks. Selected startups will be co-located at the headquarters of BMW Group UK and will be able to access data, gather insights and aim to test their products/services in live customer environments.

Timeline

09 Dec 2023

Sprint 1starts 13-01-2020

Applications

13-01-2020 — 09-02-2020

Sprint 1

Applications

13-01-2020 — 09-02-2020

Applications close at 11:59 GMT. We'll review all the applications received and get back in touch. Successful applicants will be invited to Pitch Day.

Pitch Day

06-03-2020

Sprint 1

Pitch Day

06-03-2020

Pitch Day is your startup's chance to present to senior leadership at BMW Group Financial Services UK to win a place on the programme.

Programme Live

24-08-2020 — 13-11-2020

Sprint 1

Programme Live

24-08-2020 — 13-11-2020

The intensive collaboration starts here. We'll set key objectives for what you want to achieve in collaboration with BMW and you will receive mentorship from senior leaders and external experts to help you towards these goals. 

End of the Lab Demo

05-11-2020

Sprint 1

End of the Lab Demo

05-11-2020

A chance to demonstrate what has been achieved during the lab and present your proposal for future engagement with BMW. 

Innovation Summit

14-04-2021

Sprint 1

Innovation Summit

14-04-2021

The Innovation Summit will bring together all of the startups from both sprints for a celebratory Demo Day to mark the end of the  BMW Innovation Lab 2020. 

Sprint 2starts 23-03-2020

Applications

23-03-2020 — 24-05-2020

Sprint 2

Applications

23-03-2020 — 24-05-2020

Applications close at 11:59 GMT. We'll review all the applications received and get back in touch. Successful applicants will be invited to Pitch Day.

Pitch Day

16-07-2020

Sprint 2

Pitch Day

16-07-2020

Pitch Day is your startup's chance to present to senior leadership at BMW Group Financial Services UK to win a place on the programme.

Programme Live

05-10-2020 — 11-12-2020

Sprint 2

Programme Live

05-10-2020 — 11-12-2020

The 10-week intensive collaboration starts here. We'll set key objectives for what you want to achieve in collaboration with BMW and you will receive mentorship from senior leaders and external experts to help you towards these goals. 

End of the Lab Demo

07-12-2020

Sprint 2

End of the Lab Demo

07-12-2020

A chance to demonstrate what has been achieved during the lab and present your proposal for future engagement with BMW. 

Innovation Summit

14-04-2021

Sprint 2

Innovation Summit

14-04-2021

The Innovation Summit will bring together all of the startups from both sprints for a celebratory Demo Day to mark the end of the  BMW Innovation Lab 2020. 

Latest news

Startup Profile: Ocasta

BMW Group UK have announced the four startups that completed BMW Innovation Lab 2018. Brighton-based web agency, Ocasta, are one of the highly-skilled teams who took part…

Read more

Startup Profile: Overfit

Five startups took part in the 10-week BMW Innovation Lab 2018. Overfit Technologies impressed BMW executives on Demo Day by introducing BMW to their data-driven platform…

Read more

Areas of interest

The BMW Innovation Lab will focus on three key innovation challenges, which will be considered one at a time, plus a Wildcard category that will be open alongside both application periods.

Fostering a Unified, Customer-Led, Internal Transformation

BMW is a multi-faceted business but we would like to have a unified approach to embracing change and would welcome new technologies that could help us to achieve this. We want our people to be empowered to challenge where needed – always ensuring the customer is at the heart of our decision making. Applications are now closed. 

Sponsor Tracey Leith

Automotive Mobility Data Insights, Analytics & Machine Learning

We are looking for startups with analytical solutions, and ideally, experience in the automotive industry, which can use data to provide insights that will allow us to shape individual premium mobility of the future. This intelligent analysis will help us to tailor our product offering and accelerate informed decision making. Applications are now closed. 

Sponsor Spencer Halil

Wildcard

The automotive and financial services industries are constantly evolving. We want to be open-minded about innovation that falls outside of the other three categories. This might include solutions responding to Covid-19, FinTech solutions for electric vehicles, completely reimagining the showroom experience or security surrounding subscription or it might be something we haven’t even thought of yet. Applications are now closed. 

Sponsor Tobias Essig

Embracing the Next Curve of Individual Premium Mobility

BMW is committed to providing a seamless customer experience. We are looking for innovative solutions that can reimagine the customer journey, both online and in retailers. Applications are now closed.

Sponsor Phil Kerry

BMW

BMW (UK) Ltd

BMW (UK) Ltd is the sales, marketing and aftersales subsidiary of BMW AG. Headquartered in Farnborough, Hampshire, BMW Group UK is responsible for importing BMW and MINI vehicles and Motorrad motorcycles into the UK, supplying them for sale through its independent Retailer network. BMW UK Ltd also has responsibility for all national marketing, advertising and aftersales activities for the BMW and MINI brands. Established in 1980, BMW Group UK currently employs around 500 associates.

BMW Financial Services (GB) Ltd

Headquartered in Farnborough, Hampshire BMW  Financial Services (GB) Ltd. (“BMW Group Financial Services UK”) offers a range of options for financing both private and corporate purchases of BMW and MINI vehicles and Motorrad motorcycles, as well as a range of insurance products designed to cover car, home and travel. BMW Group Financial Services UK also includes ALPHERA Financial Services, which provides multi-make car finance through a network of official dealers and broker partners. In 2016 BMW Group Financial Services UK was awarded the ‘Investors in People’ – Gold Standard which has been recently renewed and extended until 2021 including Health and Wellbeing.

bmw.co.uk

L Marks

L Marks is transforming world-leading organisations through integrating pioneering technologies and inspiring an entrepreneurial ethos. Founded with a mission to create purposeful change and with an appreciation that collaboration is the accelerant for authentic transformation, L Marks is the engine powering innovation programmes across various sectors and has launched over 60 initiatives across the UK, Europe, Israel, Asia, and the US.

Working with partners that include BMW, Lloyd’s of London, and Arsenal FC, L Marks has created the UK’s largest network of corporate innovation labs1 and is now recognised as a leader in business change. L Marks collaboration programmes establish innovation as a key characteristic of their partners’ businesses, driving a dynamic culture and, ultimately, fuelling growth.

Through creating these relationships and experiences, L Marks is achieving rapid transformation across industries, accelerating the businesses of the future and making change happen today. 

lmarks.com