ŠKODA AUTO DigiLab Israel Ltd starts collaboration with Israeli start-ups

› Joint venture between ŠKODA AUTO DigiLab and Champion Motors allows excellent access to talent and technologies from the IT industry
› Digitalisation and development of digital mobility services are cornerstones of ŠKODA’s 2025 Strategy
› In the start-up hotspot Tel Aviv, ŠKODA AUTO DigiLab Israel Ltd is continuously looking for innovative enterprises
› Collaboration between ŠKODA AUTO DigiLab Israel Ltd and ten Israeli start-ups

Mladá Boleslav, 30 May 2018 – ŠKODA AUTO DigiLab Israel Ltd is ŠKODA AUTO’s scout looking for start-ups in Tel Aviv to collaborate on future shared business ideas. At the end of 2017, ŠKODA AUTO founded the joint venture together with the Israeli importer Champion Motors. At the beginning of 2018, the team at ŠKODA AUTO DigiLab Israel Ltd started work and is currently collaborating with ten start-ups. Four of these are already in a concrete project development phase.

“With ŠKODA AUTO DigiLab Israel Ltd we are represented in the heart of one of the most dynamic IT locations worldwide,” said Andre Wehner, Chief Digital Officer at ŠKODA AUTO. “Israel is a high-calibre source for digital innovation. To have a presence there and to gain direct access to innovative projects, high-tech start-ups and IT talent is of great importance for ŠKODA.”

Jarmila Plachá, Head of the ŠKODA AUTO DigiLab, added, “ŠKODA AUTO DigiLab Israel Ltd is currently collaborating with ten start-ups. With four of these, we are already in a concrete project development phase.”

In addition to its headquarters in Prague, the ŠKODA AUTO DigiLab has also been represented through the joint venture in Tel Aviv since January 2018. The city is considered to be a hotspot for the young start-up scene and IT experts of tomorrow. ŠKODA AUTO DigiLab Israel Ltd is continuously looking for innovative projects which have potential for future business models of the long-established Czech brand. The focus of the collaboration is on the topics of big data, cyber security, car sensors, Industry 4.0, connected car, e-mobility and infotainment. ŠKODA AUTO Digilab Israel Ltd cooperates in Israel with the new established Volkswagen Group Campus Tel Aviv.

With the 2025 Strategy, ŠKODA AUTO has defined the key points for its future development. Electromobility, autonomous driving and digitalisation are essential cornerstones of the future company development. Here, the ŠKODA AUTO DigiLab in Prague, which was founded at the beginning of 2017, plays a key role by strengthening the Czech manufacturer’s innovative capability and digital development expertise, amongst other things.

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