JSW MG Motor India has announced eight startup winners for the sixth season of its MG Developer Program (MGDP), an initiative designed to connect emerging technology companies with real-world challenges in the automotive industry. The selected startups are developing solutions across artificial intelligence (AI), industrial intelligence, electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chains, mobility services, customer experience and sustainability.
The winners will work with JSW MG Motor India and its ecosystem partners to explore pilot projects and real-world deployments over the coming months. The latest edition received more than 130 entries, with over 40 startups shortlisted for presentations and 18 advancing to the final jury round. Since the programme began in 2019, it has attracted more than 1,680 startup entries, highlighting growing interest in collaboration between India’s startup ecosystem and the automotive industry. <Cite refs={[“turn369117search7″,”turn369117search8”]}/>
MG Developer Program 2026: List of 8 Winning Startups
The sixth season of the MG Developer Program focused on the theme “Innovation in Automotive”. Participating startups were encouraged to develop solutions that could improve mobility, manufacturing, customer experience, sustainability and industrial operations.
The eight selected startups are Nayan Technologies, Technod8.AI, LiveNSense, LW3, Smaartbrand by Acquink Solutions, Fitsol, Cautio and Meta Materials Circular Market. <Cite refs={[“turn369117search7″,”turn369117search9”]}/>
Winning Startups and Their Technologies
| Startup | Technology focus | Potential application |
|---|---|---|
| Nayan Technologies | AI-powered road intelligence | Traffic monitoring and road safety |
| Technod8.AI | Industrial and physical AI | Manufacturing, maintenance and engineering |
| LiveNSense | Industrial AI, IoT and digital twins | Energy efficiency and industrial operations |
| LW3 | AI and blockchain-based compliance | EV battery supply-chain tracking |
| Smaartbrand by Acquink Solutions | AI-driven customer intelligence | Customer feedback and product insights |
| Fitsol | Supply-chain decarbonisation | Emissions measurement and cost optimisation |
| Cautio | AI-powered mobility intelligence | Fleet safety and driver monitoring |
| Meta Materials Circular Market | Automotive circular-economy infrastructure | Material recovery and lifecycle tracking |
Source: Inc42, Autocar Professional and ETAuto.
The programme does not mean that all eight startups have already secured commercial contracts or completed deployments. The announced next step is to explore pilot projects and practical applications with the automaker and its partners.
What Are the Eight Startups Building?
1. Nayan Technologies: AI-Powered Road Intelligence
Founded in 2018 and headquartered in New Delhi, Nayan Technologies develops an AI-based road intelligence platform that analyses visual data to identify traffic events, infrastructure defects and potentially risky driving behaviour.
Its technology can support traffic management, road safety and infrastructure monitoring. For an automotive company, such capabilities could provide insights into road conditions and mobility patterns that may help inform vehicle technology and transportation services.
2. Technod8.AI: AI for Industrial Engineering
Technod8.AI, founded in 2024 and based in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, is developing an AI copilot for industrial and manufacturing engineering.
The platform combines a customised industrial large language model, AI agents and 3D simulations to help engineering, maintenance and production teams troubleshoot machinery and access technical information. It also offers voice interaction, multilingual support and local deployment options for businesses that need greater control over sensitive data.
In an automotive manufacturing environment, such tools could help workers access technical knowledge, investigate equipment problems and improve maintenance workflows.
3. LiveNSense: Improving Industrial Energy Efficiency
LiveNSense is a Bengaluru-based climate technology startup founded in 2018. It uses artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT) systems and digital twin technology to help energy-intensive industries improve operational efficiency and reduce emissions.
Its GreenOps platform analyses industrial processes and energy consumption to identify inefficiencies. For manufacturers, this type of technology could help monitor energy usage, identify avoidable waste and support emissions-reduction initiatives.
The technology is relevant to automotive manufacturing, where energy consumption, equipment performance and environmental targets can affect operating costs.
4. LW3: Tracking EV Battery Supply Chains
Founded in 2024 and headquartered in Guwahati, LW3 is developing an AI- and blockchain-powered compliance platform for electric vehicle battery supply chains.
The platform focuses on digital product identities and traceable records throughout a battery’s lifecycle. Such records can help businesses document the movement and history of materials and support compliance requirements.
Battery traceability is becoming increasingly relevant as electric vehicle manufacturers face greater scrutiny of material sourcing, product lifecycle management and recycling. A digital tracking system could help manufacturers and suppliers maintain more consistent records across complex supply chains.
5. Smaartbrand by Acquink Solutions: Understanding Customers
Smaartbrand by Acquink Solutions is a Hyderabad-based startup founded in 2024. It is developing an AI-powered decision-intelligence platform that analyses customer feedback from sources such as online reviews, social media and other digital channels.
The technology aims to help companies understand how customers perceive their products and services. For an automotive manufacturer, customer feedback can reveal recurring concerns about vehicle features, ownership experiences, after-sales service and brand perception.
By organising large volumes of customer feedback into useful insights, the platform could support product planning and customer-experience improvements.
6. Fitsol: Decarbonising Supply Chains
Fitsol, founded in 2022 and based in Delhi NCR, develops an AI-driven platform for supply-chain decarbonisation.
Its software helps businesses measure emissions across their supply chains and identify opportunities to reduce carbon output and operating costs. This can be relevant to automotive companies that source components, materials and services from multiple suppliers.
Reducing supply-chain emissions requires more than improving a factory’s energy efficiency. It also involves understanding transportation, sourcing decisions and the environmental impact of suppliers. Tools that measure these factors can help businesses identify where changes may have the greatest effect.
7. Cautio: AI-Based Fleet and Driver Safety
Cautio is a Bengaluru-based startup founded in 2023. It develops AI-powered dashcams and fleet-management software for commercial vehicles, public transport and mobility operators.
Its systems use video and AI to detect driver fatigue, distraction and potentially risky driving behaviour. Other features include GPS tracking, live video streaming, driver performance reports and incident playback.
For fleet operators, these capabilities could support safety monitoring and help identify driving patterns that increase the risk of accidents. For the wider mobility ecosystem, the technology may also help improve vehicle utilisation and operational oversight.
8. Meta Materials Circular Market: Automotive Circular-Economy Infrastructure
Meta Materials Circular Market is the eighth winner of MGDP Season 6.0. The startup is developing digital infrastructure for India’s automotive circular economy.
Its selection reflects the programme’s broader focus on sustainability alongside AI and mobility technologies. Circular-economy systems can help track materials and support their recovery, reuse or recycling rather than treating them as waste at the end of a product’s useful life.
This area is relevant to automotive manufacturing because vehicles contain materials that can potentially be recovered and reused. Digital systems may help improve visibility into material flows and support more structured lifecycle management.
The company has been named among the eight winners, although the programme announcement provides less detail about its specific product than it does for several of the other selected startups. <Cite refs={[“turn369117search8″,”turn369117search10”]}/>
MG Developer Program Receives More Than 1,680 Startup Entries
JSW MG Motor India launched the MG Developer Program in 2019 to encourage startups to develop solutions for the automotive and mobility sectors.
Over the years, the programme has received more than 1,680 entries covering connected mobility, electric vehicles, artificial intelligence, sustainability and next-generation automotive technologies. Season 6.0 received over 130 entries, from which more than 40 startups were shortlisted for presentations and 18 advanced to the final jury round. <Cite refs={[“turn369117search7″,”turn369117search9”]}/>
The sixth season was conducted with partners including the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Startup India, JSW, BHIM, Jio, Gulf Oil India, TiE Delhi NCR, iCreate, Allianz Partners India, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), BSES Rajdhani Power Limited, LICO Materials and Pulse Energy.
The programme provides a mechanism for startups to present technologies against industry requirements and explore collaboration with an established automotive manufacturer. The practical value of the initiative will depend on whether the selected solutions can move from evaluation and pilot projects to deployments that demonstrate measurable business or operational benefits.
The Bigger Picture
The MG Developer Program reflects the growing overlap between the automotive industry and technologies such as AI, connected systems, industrial software and sustainability platforms. Vehicle manufacturers increasingly operate across a wider ecosystem that includes software, data, charging infrastructure, supply-chain management and mobility services.
For startups, collaboration with an established automaker can provide access to industry expertise and potential real-world testing environments. For JSW MG Motor India, the programme offers a way to explore emerging technologies without relying exclusively on internal development.
However, selection does not guarantee commercial adoption, revenue or investment for the winning startups. The next stage—testing the solutions, assessing their performance and deciding whether to deploy them at scale—will determine the programme’s practical impact.
Looking Ahead
The eight startups will now work with JSW MG Motor India and its ecosystem partners to explore pilot projects and real-world applications. Areas to watch include AI-enabled industrial maintenance, battery supply-chain compliance, fleet safety, energy efficiency and digital tools for automotive recycling. Any confirmed deployments or commercial partnerships would provide a clearer indication of how the selected technologies are being integrated into the company’s operations.
The programme also offers a window into the types of problems that Indian startups are addressing in the automotive sector. As manufacturers pursue electrification, connected mobility and more efficient production, collaboration with specialist technology companies could become increasingly important. The longer-term outcome will depend on whether these innovations deliver measurable improvements in safety, cost, customer experience or environmental performance.
Get the day’s top stories in your inbox
One concise email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
