General Questions
On the way to becoming a mobility company for all and as part of Toyota’s Environmental Challenge 2050, Toyota has teamed up with ISDI Accelerator and created the Toyota Startup Accelerator — recognizing startups with breakthrough solutions in four areas:
- Mobility for all
- Carbon neutral
- Circular economy – plastics
- Life Cycle Footprint Ecosystem
Please go to the official website (https://accelerator.isdi.education/toyotastartupawards/) and consult the Guide for Applicants for more information about the program. You can submit your application to the program at the following URL:
(hub.isdi.education/application/new?program=toyota%20startup%20accelerator%202nd%20edition).
The deadline for submitting your application is 14th September 2021 at 23:59 p.m. CEST.
Yes, although startups presented within the verticals listed above will be given priority, projects that address other challenges or themes will not be eliminated.
The 10 finalist startups will be entitled to the following package of services and perks:
- Online Bootcamp: during 5 days we will give to all the startups the same baseline starting point in a online training bootcamp where they will learn from Toyota, expert speakers & entrepreneurs:
- Objective: Balance the knowledge level of the startups in different key areas and therefore maximize the outcome of the mentoring program that follows.
- Welcome: Welcoming the 10 startups to the Toyota Accelerator & Program explanation.
- Training content: Classes and workshops with top experts in key areas such as: Marketing and Sales, Product & UX, Finance and Funding, KPIs & metrics, Agile & Tools, Internationalization, Talent & Hiring, etc.
- Networking: A networking session will be organized, so startups, Toyota and ISDI can meet in an informal way to foster the relationship. This online event is designed to help startups gather more knowledge in business areas, with a practical format and featuring speakers from leading organizations, including ISDI and Toyota.
- Access to Acceleration Program: Up to five of the ten finalists will be awarded the entry in the Toyota Startup Accelerator. Winning the award entails a fast track to an Acceleration Program powered by award-winning ISDI Accelerator. The Acceleration Program will include the following perks:
- Financing: each startup that enters the Toyota Startup Accelerator will receive funding as well as many other perks which are written below.
- Business mentors: Each participating team receives up to six months of individual sessions with a high-level mentor custom-matched with the startup. Mentoring follows a personalized methodology and addresses current needs the startup is experiencing.
- Toyota guides: Toyota executives working as a bridge between the project and Toyota. Matched with each startup, the Corporate Guides will have a session with the startup every 2 or 3 weeks considering their availability.
- Specialized mentors: Startups can also learn from successful and veteran entrepreneurs, experienced investors and C-Level executives from big corporations/organisations such as Google, AirBnB and NASA. All of them have extensive experience working with startups.
- “Perks” program: Participants have access to significant discounts from technological, marketing, legal and talent services, among others, provided by renowned companies such as Amazon, Braintree, Marketo, Sendgrid, and more.
- Demo Day: At the end of the acceleration program, the finalists will present in front of Toyota executives, private investors, and other executives of large corporations and/or media.
- Welcome: TME + ISDI welcome the startups, private investors and (potentially) media.
- Demo Day contents: The startups pitch in front of the audience, and have (potentially) private meetings with TME and private investors to discuss their growth and potential investment. TME could consider co-investment with other private investors.
- Networking: A networking event will be organized, so startups, Toyota, ISDI, private investors and media can informally meet in a relaxed atmosphere
This program is looking to offer the best experience for startups during the startup Accelerator and consequently the following acceleration program. That is why we ask for the following:
- Commitment: To attend the online training bootcamp, and the Acceleration program activities and events described before.
- Priority in cooperation: The winning startups are expected to always consider Toyota among other options for future cooperation and possible investment discussions.
Eligibility and enrollment process
The Toyota Startup Accelerator powered by ISDI accelerator accepts applications from startups. A startup is considered as such if it meets the criteria of small and medium enterprises of the European Commission Recommendation, 2003/361/EC. Only startups that meet the following requirements are eligible for the acceleration program:
- The startup must be legally established, or will be legally established before the start of the Acceleration Program
- The startup has at least one CEO or business manager and a CTO or technical manager
- At least one full-time founder is dedicated to the project
- The startup has at least one MVP (Minimum Viable Product) fully developed
- The startup is incorporated or with major offices in any of the 27 European Member states, the Horizon 2020 Associated Countries and United Kingdom
- The startup has TRL (Technology Readiness Level),of 6 or more, preferably with sustainable competitive advantages, although this is not a requirement. More info
- The startup has a strong component of innovation, where innovation is understood in the broadest sense (product, process, business plan, and more).
- Founder(s) must have high-level English language skills, as the competition will take place in English
- The startup is aligned with Toyota’s values and should respect EU legal regulations (e.g. GDPR etc.)
Yes, but if your partner is another automotive OEM you have to explicitly explain this in your application form and your project continues to meet the criteria described above to be considered a startup.
Yes, you can apply but you will need to be legally established before the start of the acceleration program.
It is not an eligibility requirement, but it will be positively evaluated in the selection process.
Complete the online form at the following link: hub.isdi.education/application/new?program=toyota%20startup%20accelerator%202nd%20edition
The deadline to receive applications is September 14, 2021 at 23:59 p.m. CET
Yes, as long as it is not organized by another automotive OEM.
No. You can only submit one proposal per startup. If there is more than one proposal at the close of the call, only the first project submitted in order of time will be evaluated.
The application form
Yes. The application form is hosted on the HUB platform (hub.isdi.education/application/new?program=toyota%20startup%20accelerator%202nd%20edition) and, in order to submit your application, it is necessary to register on that platform with your personal data.
Although the form is hosted on the HUB, you must contact the ISDI Accelerator team via email at infoaccelerator@isdi.education. We will respond to you as soon as possible and will guide you through the necessary steps to complete the form successfully.
Evaluation and selection process
The selection process has been designed to be fair, objective and (we hope) interesting for you. It will consist of the following steps:
Phase 1: General verification of eligibility.
All applications will be verified to ensure that they meet the following requirements:
- Meet all eligibility criteria listed in the Applicant Guide.
- Have sent the application through the official online platform hub.isdi.education/application/new?program=toyota%20startup%20accelerator%202nd%20edition. Proposals submitted by any other means will not be considered for evaluation.
- Have completed the application before the deadline,September 14, 2021 at 23:59 p.m. CET
Phase 2: Pre-scoring.
Eligible proposals will be automatically scored according to the following criteria, obtaining up to 100 percentage points as follows:
- Team (30% weight)
- Business opportunity (30% weight)
- Strategic fit (40% weight)
Phase 3: Jury evaluation
All applications that successfully pass Phase 2 will be evaluated and qualified by a jury of experts coming from ISDI Accelerator as well as Toyota Motor Europe. This evaluation will also be based on the criteria of team, business opportunity and strategic fit. The 10 highest scoring startups will be the finalist and get access to the Online Training bootcamp and up to 5 winner will get access to the Toyota Startup Accelerator program.
The ten finalist startups will be entitled to the following package of services and perks:
- Online Bootcamp: during 5 days we will give to all the startups the same baseline starting point in an online bootcamp where they will learn from Toyota, expert speakers & entrepreneurs:
- Objective: Balance the knowledge level of the startups in different key areas and therefore maximize the outcome of the mentoring program that follows.
- Welcome: Welcoming the 10 startups to the Toyota Accelerator & Program explanation.
- Training content: Classes and workshops with top experts in key areas such as:
Marketing and Sales, Product & UX, Finance and Funding, KPIs & metrics, Agile & Tools, Internationalization, Talent & Hiring, etc. - Networking: A networking session will be organized, so startups, Toyota and ISDI can meet in an informal way to foster the relationship.This online event is designed to help startups gather more knowledge in business areas, with a practical format and featuring speakers from leading organizations, including ISDI and Toyota.
- Access to the Online Acceleration Program: Up to five finalists will be awarded the Toyota Startup Accelerator. Winning the award entails a fast track to an Acceleration Program powered by the award-winning ISDI Accelerator. The Acceleration Program will include the following perks:
- Financing: each startup that enters the Toyota Startup Accelerator will receive funding as well as many other perks which are written below.
- Business mentors: Each participating team receives up to six months of individual sessions with a high-level mentor custom-matched with the startup. Mentoring follows a personalized methodology and addresses current needs the startup is experiencing.
- Toyota guides: Toyota executives working as a bridge between the project and Toyota. Matched with each startup, the Corporate Guides will have a session with the startup every 2 or 3 weeks considering their availability
- Specialized mentors: Startups can also learn from successful and veteran entrepreneurs, experienced investors and C-Level executives from big corporations/organisations such as Google, AirBnB and NASA. All of them have extensive experience working with startups.
- “Perks” program: Participants have access to significant discounts from technological, marketing, legal and talent services, among others, provided by renowned companies such as Amazon, Braintree, Marketo, Sendgrid, and more.
- Demo Day: At the end of the acceleration program, the finalists will present in front of Toyota executives, private investors, and other executives of large corporations and/or media.
- Welcome: TME + ISDI welcome the startups, private investors and (potentially) media.
- Demo Day contents: The startups pitch in front of the audience, *and have (potentially) private meetings with TME and private investors to discuss their growth and potential investment. TME could consider co-investment with other private investors.
- Networking: A networking event will be organized, so startups, Toyota, ISDI, private investors and media can informally meet in a relaxed atmosphere
Participation in the program
Yes, if you are selected as one of the final up to 5 startups, you will receive a contract which makes your online attendance to the program legally binding.
No, all the program will be held online due to the worldwide health situation caused by Covid19 outbreak. If there is the chance to do some key events of the Acceleration Program face to face, ISDI and Toyota will decide this and inform the participants, but face to face attendance will be never mandatory, only voluntary.
Yes, the program may be canceled at Toyota’s request, if the volume or quality of applications does not meet Toyota’s expectations. Toyota may take this decision at any time unilaterally and will communicate it in writing to ISDI Accelerator who will be responsible for communicating it to startups.
This decision will not lead to any compensation in favor of startups, and startups won’t be able to file a claim for any reason against ISDI or Toyota.