AISIN Group is the sixth largest, global Tier One supplier of automotive components and systems such as brakes, transmissions, navigation systems, drivetrain, chassis, body, engine-related parts, electronics and intelligent transportation systems, and the largest transmission manufacturer in the world. A $35 billion company, Aisin Group has over 200 consolidated companies and employs approximately 120,000 people. In the Americas, Aisin Group companies include 14,000 employees, 36 manufacturing, sales, and R&D centers, including Aisin Technical Center of America located at the North American Headquarters in Northville, Mich., and FT-Techno of America, the company’s 950-acre test track and proving ground in Fowlerville, Mich.
Everyday, tens-of-thousands of vehicle parts are being delivered from our suppliers to our warehouse and then transferred to various plants throughout Japan using cross-docking. The routes are currently made manually by specialists who ensure every part gets transferred the most optimal way. However, manual route planning brings a few challenges on speed, accuracy and predictability of our logistics — creating inefficiencies in key business areas. Delivery volume changes everyday and therefore requires frequent route planning optimization which is currently difficult considering the amount of manual effort required. In addition, manual route planning takes a long time to complete and does not guarantee the most optimal route.
Using artificial intelligence powered solutions, we would like to solve vehicle routing problems (VRP) and therefore optimize our routes from warehouse to plants. Our supply chain is large and complex; we seek to harness the power of artificial intelligence to minimise risks and improve the overall efficiency of our logistics.
Business opportunity
Explore potential commercial collaboration with AISIN if your application is selected
Financial support
Benefit of a paid proof-of-concept (PoC) and paid travel fees
Access to Key Decision Makers
Gain direct access to key decision-makers at AISIN to align your collaboration proposal
Access to Factory Data
Gain privileged access to factory data to train your model and develop your solution
Automobile Market Expertise
AISIN is the largest transmission manufacturer in the world with over 200 consolidated companies and 120,000 employees
Access to Corporate Use Case
Gain access to corporate use case of fleet management and production line
IP Protection Negotiation
Secure your intellectual property rights prior to collaboration to mitigate risks
Eligibility criteria
- Be a startup
- Have a head office in Canada
- Have a team of at least 2 people
- Maturity level: have reached product-market fit of demonstrated MVP stage (some test solutions could be accepted)
Selection criteria
- Realistic solution in terms of implementation and operations;
- Ease of use for project teams;
- Quality of the collaboration proposal: ability to popularize, understanding of the problem, feasibility of the proposed solution, quality of the value proposition, realistic and reasonable budget and timeline;
- Degree of feasibility of the trial period;
- Return on investment (budget vs. value created);
- Ability to measure the objectives and key results set;
- Ability to provide a roadmap with strategies and tactics aligned with measures that support the growth of the project.
Types of collaboration desired
- Service agreement
- Strategic Partnership
- Co-development of a new solution or co-development of a complementary solution from an existing product
- Open to discuss other types of potential collaborations
How to participate
- Attend the informative webinar to answer your technical questions and facilitate the alignment of your Collaboration Proposal to the challenge;
- Prepare your Collaboration Proposal (in Word or Powerpoint);
- Submit your Collaboration Proposal in the application form
- Decision : an email will be sent to all participants at the end of the application review period notifying them of the successful and unsuccessful proposals. Successful applicants will be eligible to proceed to Phase Two of the challenge, the Exploration of Collaboration Phase.
Timeline
Phase 1: Selection
Information Webinar
11 February 2021
Pre-selection of Startups & Meetings
15-19 February 2021
Applications Close
24 February 2021
Startups Selected for Exploration of Collaboration
February 26th 2021
Phase 2: Exploration of Collaboration
PoC Preparation
March 1-31 2021
PoC Implementation
April-June 2021
Final Business Proposals
June 2021
Startups Selected for Commercial Collaboration
July 1st 2021
