What is Mahindra Digital Engine (MDE)?

MDE is a specialised division that delivers jump-shift technological solutions across businesses.

It aims to transform businesses by leveraging emerging technologies and Mahindra’s global partnerships to conceptualise solutions to build a more sustainable world and be a part of large-scale transformations that drive customer-centric innovations.

By doing so, it propels our growth prospects by empowering work environments that welcome diverse perspectives with start-up-like autonomy and agility to experiment boldly.

Startup Leap

Startup Leap is an initiative of Mahindra Digital Engine (MDE) to offer a platform for budding technology start-ups to compete and contribute to Mahindra’s rapidly growing areas of auto-manufacturing, real estate, agriculture, and finance.

Startup Leap seeks to build a dynamic forum to nurture and accelerate the growth of the participating entities through a long-term engagement model on some of the most evolving digital projects.

Startup Leap aims to create an ecosystem, which will provide the foundation for talent to thrive and make innovation a way of thinking.

Focus areas

This year, participants were asked to contribute entries to Mahindra’s rapidly growing areas of automotive, real estate, agriculture, and fin-tech.

The process

The entries received went through two rounds of evaluation by Mahindra's group of technology and business experts. The evaluation team then shortlisted around 8-10 start-ups per business area. The shortlisted start-ups pitched to a jury comprising tech and business leaders.

The event

The event began on February 20, 2023, with the panel hearing pitches from real estate and fin-tech, followed by agri-tech and automotive on February 21.

Real-estate

Many innovative solutions were presented for the real estate sector. Clove.Build was announced as the winner under the real estate category. Clove.Build is an IT services and consulting company based in Hyderabad. Mahindra Lifespaces announced that it will be working with all the shortlisted start-ups.

Some of the key solutions showcased were –

• Paint optimisation
• Eco-friendly pre-fab end-to-end solutions 
• Space optimisation
• IoT products 
• Conversational AI-based platform 

Fin-tech

The jury witnessed several cutting-edge technology solutions for the Finance sector. FinAGG Technologies was adjudged the winner in this category. Mahindra Finance announced its willingness to work with the other shortlisted start-ups for relevant use cases.

Some of the key solutions showcased were –

• Seamless user journey
• Buyer / seller financing: Multi lending
• End-to-end marketplace solutions
• AI-powered platforms: - Conversational, video, document processing, and hiring
• Platform for purchase financing

Agri-tech

A diverse set of start-ups showcased their solutions in the areas of agri-tech. Improving agriculture was the main agenda. Himalayan Sustainable Energy Solutions, Takachar was declared a winner in this category.

Some of the key solutions showcased were –

• Use of drones and ML in agriculture
• AL/ML-based quality checks
• Precision farming with the use of mobile apps
• IOT and Analytics in agriculture
• Electric tractors for sustainable farming

Auto

The participating start-ups brought many ingenious ideas to the automotive space. AI-powered defect detection company, mSense AI was adjudged the winner under the Auto category.

Some of the key solutions presented under Automotive were –

• Connected cars with voice control
• Enhancing customer experience for riding quality of roads
• On-demand charge as a service
• Autonomous robots
• Patented airflow technology

Towards future-ready solutions

Congratulations to everyone who was a part of the event! Mahindra celebrates the innovative ideas showcased by the start-ups and looks forward to engaging with most of them to create future-ready solutions.