(February 15, 2017) To expand its in-market support of Israeli startups and entrepreneurs, Honda Silicon Valley Lab (HSVL) of Honda R&D Americas has announced a partnership with DRIVE, the new smart mobility innovation center that today opened in Tel Aviv, Israel.

A first-of-its-kind hub founded by Mayer Group, DRIVE will foster enhanced collaboration between Honda R&D and Israeli transportation innovators.

With a booming tech sector in Israel, the DRIVE center is focused on supporting startups and entrepreneurs of all stages, with a startup accelerator, advanced prototyping labs, meeting rooms and shared workspace that encourage networking and collaboration.  Israel is home to more than 5,000 startups and 750 venture-capital-backed companies.

As a DRIVE partner, Honda will actively engage with startups through its Honda Xcelerator open innovation program by providing expertise, funding and rapid prototyping opportunities that may evolve into additional business relationships. These activities will enable startups to receive accelerated validation of their technology and business model and, in turn, allow Honda to deepen its relationships with Israeli entrepreneurs.

"Honda Xcelerator has engaged with a broad array of startups in Israel over the last few years, working on innovative technologies with the potential to transform our future products," said Dennis Clark, Strategic Alliance Lead for Honda Xcelerator. "Our partnership with DRIVE will enable Honda to collaborate even more closely with local innovators and continue to accelerate and drive innovation."  

Also supporting the DRIVE initiative with Honda are sponsors Hertz Rent a Car International, Israeli telematics company Ituran and Volvo Cars.

DRIVE will be led by founding partners Omer Shachar, an investment executive from the Mayer Group; Dr. Tal Cohen, an adjunct associate professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta and successful entrepreneur; and Boaz Mamo, a specialist in smart mobility entrepreneurship and founder of EcoMotion and Capsule, a smart mobility accelerator.

"DRIVE was created from a significant need in the world of smart mobility entrepreneurs to hone real market needs through collaboration with market leaders, creation of initial stage prototypes, and the ability to back the collaboration with focused investments," said Mamo, DRIVE's CEO.

"Our partnership with Honda Xcelerator will help the most promising Israeli mobility startups to have quick market validation and access to one of the leading OEM's open innovation programs in the world."