Maruti Suzuki and JETRO Join Hands to Empower Startups Across India and Japan

The MoU aims to promote collaboration between Indian and Japanese startups by creating new business opportunities and expanding access to each other's innovation ecosystems.
You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.
In a significant move to foster cross-border innovation and entrepreneurship, Maruti Suzuki India Limited has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO).
The MoU aims to promote collaboration between Indian and Japanese startups by creating new business opportunities and expanding access to each other's innovation ecosystems.
The agreement was formally exchanged between Dr Tapan Sahoo, Executive Officer – Digital Enterprise at Maruti Suzuki, and Takashi Suzuki, Chief Director General of JETRO India. The ceremony was held in the presence of Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director and CEO of Maruti Suzuki India.
Through this MoU, startups from India will gain access to Japan's robust startup and innovation network, while Japanese startups will be welcomed into India's vibrant and fast-growing entrepreneurial landscape. This two-way collaboration is expected to unlock new synergies in mobility, technology, and manufacturing sectors.
Startups participating in Maruti Suzuki's four flagship innovation programs—Accelerator, Incubation, Mobility Challenge, and Nurture—will be eligible to join this initiative.
JETRO will facilitate Japanese startup participation, offering them exposure to India's dynamic market and innovation-driven opportunities.
Hisashi Takeuchi remarked, "Startups are key drivers of innovation and economic growth. With this MoU, we aim to open new doors for Indian startups to explore the Japanese market and strengthen bilateral technological ties."
Takashi Suzuki added, "Maruti Suzuki is a shining example of India-Japan collaboration. This partnership will deepen our ties and foster innovation-led economic growth in both nations."
Maruti Suzuki's innovation ecosystem continues to evolve as a critical bridge between industry needs and startup capabilities. With the support of JETRO, the company is now poised to take its startup engagement global, creating a win-win for businesses in both countries.
This MoU is not just a partnership—it is a forward-looking step toward building a global startup network that thrives on innovation, mutual support, and shared vision between India and Japan.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Tom's Guide

an hour ago

• Tom's Guide

I tested Perplexity vs Google AI overview with 7 prompts — the results were shocking

Search is undergoing a profound change. For decades, Google has dominated the web search world, with some 90% of all searches funnelled through the massive Google machine. But suddenly, with the arrival of artificial intelligence, things are starting to change, and seriously so. Not only are people increasingly using AI products like ChatGPT as their default search tool, but companies like Perplexity are also building businesses around search services. The idea is to combine the power of AI analysis with the huge amount of conventional search data available at the end of a cursor. But Google is fighting back. The company has recently released an advanced search function called AI Overviews, which aims to bridge the two disciplines and deliver the kind of informed search results the market demands. It's a new kind of search on steroids. So how do the two approaches compare in everyday use? We take a look at Google's new AI Overviews and compare the results to Perplexity AI, to see which gives a better bang for the buck. Prompt: Summarize the key contributions of John McCarthy, Geoffrey Hinton and Noam Shazeer to the development of artificial intelligence. We thought we'd start with something close to home - a look at the architects of AI from the past. First impressions are that Google delivers a competent but fairly traditional results page from this request. Its answer of 238 words covers all the basic points and gives a good overview of the points as you'd expect. Perplexity delivers over 400 words, but it's more than just the quantity that's impressive. It's the fact that the results are laid out in a much more engaging manner, with the user being encouraged to explore additional information in a variety of different ways. They can explore related data, look directly at the sources and even regenerate the results to get a different perspective. Where Google seems to do the bare minimum, Perplexity really seems to add user value. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Google 4/10 Perplexity 7/10 Prompt: Create a 3-day itinerary for a first-time visitor to Tokyo on a modest budget. The user is interested in Japanese culture and food, but wants to avoid tourist traps. This is a real kicker, a stark example of the old versus the new. Google completely fails to deliver any meaningful response, but instead retreats to a standard Google search. The answer merely features a selection of third-party websites offering tour advice. This is obviously beneficial to Google as it will no doubt allow it to earn ad revenue. Perplexity, on the other hand, delivers a glorious 1000 words of real down-to-earth itinerary. This includes gorgeous photos, maps and itemized costings, which will be more than enough for the user to get a great idea of the proposed experience. Google 2/10 Perplexity 9/10 Prompt: What is the technology behind noise cancelling headphones? Once again we can see the difference between traditional search results and new style AI analysis, although in this case the difference is not so great. Google's results are very credible with 186 words of explanation, along with a useful YouTube video. Perplexity, however, takes it to a more advanced level. The explanation is roughly the same, but the prose is much more accessible to a layperson. Instead of using the word 'inverse', for example, the app chooses to use simpler English to explain how sound is cancelled. It's a subtle but important use of 500 words to achieve a more understandable answer. Google 6/10 Perplexity 8/10 Prompt: Explain the 'double-dig' method of garden bed preparation and contrast it to no-till farming This is quite an obscure test, involving little-known agricultural techniques. But for gardeners it's a very important topic. Google's response is very workmanlike and informative, and uses 260 words to deliver a good answer to the question. The use of Reddit and the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) are also great sources, which add authority to the answer. Unfortunately for Google, Perplexity once again matches and exceeds in response quality. The RHS and Reddit are also mentioned, as is YouTube. But two things really make this answer stand out. First, the use of a great table to explain the differences at a glance and, most importantly, a conclusion, which gives a clear indication as to why no-dig is increasingly considered the better solution. Google 7/10 Perplexity 8/10 Prompt: What are the primary compliance challenges for a US-based tech startup under the EU's AI Act? This request pushes search to the limits of topicality and obtuse legal documents. Surprisingly, Google's results are very lackluster. The search engine offers up a 57 word March 2025 'featured snippet' from an obscure third-party publication, and that's it. It shows no interest in digging deeper into the topic for the user. Yet again Perplexity tries harder. We're talking 600 words set in a beautiful bullet point format, running through the main challenges and issues surrounding compliance. Along with 9 easily accessible sources and a handful of related subject matter links. Masterful. Google 2/10 Perplexity 8/10 Prompt: What does the history and potential future of blockchain and cryptocurrency look like? This prompt clearly demonstrates why Google's AI Overview is unfortunately not really ready for prime time. The original prompt was something like 'explain cryptocurrency to a fifth grader', but when tested Google couldn't handle it and served up a lame Quora snippet. It's only when we changed the prompt to this one that AI Overview kicked into action, and delivered a reasonable result. It's obvious there's not that much AI involved in AI Overview yet. Interestingly though, this was probably Google's best result. We got 400 words of densely packed information covering the topic clearly and succinctly. Perplexity was also good, providing 600 words and a nice table. Not much to choose between the two then. Google 8/10 Perplexity 8/10 Prompt: What kind of cat is this? For the final prompt we thought we'd go with something a little more exotic. Both search platforms support image upload, so what better than to upload a friendly looking cat to get some more information? Google takes the uploaded image as a prompt to display a page full of similar images, which aligns with its original image matching search. But a re-prompt of 'what kind of cat is this' then delivered a very short four line answer which, although correct, was not super helpful. Perplexity's response was 246 words, with bullets points, covering coat pattern, fur, and the breed. Even a fun fact (calico cats are almost always female). Engaging and informative. Google 3/10 Perplexity 7/10 The king is dead, long live the king? Based on this showing, the rumors could indeed be true. The mighty Google may in fact be on the way to losing its grip on the world's search traffic. Is this the end of an era? Time will tell. However if there's one thing we've learned over the years, it's never to discount the ability of the Google empire to strike back. Uniquely in the world, the company has the compute power, the data and the legendary AI pedigree to surprise us all. Test Notes. It should be noted that we did not use any of the advanced Perplexity functions, but kept to the basic default service. Which make the results even more impressive. It's also important to recognize the fact that AI can get things wrong. Both services feature disclaimers which stress that users should not assume AI search responses are factually correct. This is an early technology finding its feet, users should take care.

Miami Herald

3 hours ago

• Miami Herald

Honda Launches Killer Civic Hybrid Lease Offer for June

The Honda Civic is one of the most popular compact cars on the road and is largely known for its practical design and impressive efficiency. The Honda Civic Hybrid breaks into the industry with an affordable starting price and even higher fuel economy than the gas-only model. This June, the Japanese automaker is making it incredibly affordable to park a new Civic Hybrid in your garage. These lease offers are a steal, with a monthly payment as low as $309 per month. This particular lease deal also requires $3,599 down and a 36-month term. The Honda Civic Hybrid is a new addition to the range for the 2025 model year. It comes available in both sedan and hatchback body styles, both of which share the same hybrid powertrain. The standard equipment list is similar across both Civic Hybrid models, but the hatchback offers more interior space. The 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid comes in two trim levels, Sport Hybrid and Sport Touring Hybrid, but it's the former that's subject to the best lease deals. The 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid comes powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine paired with two electric motors. Unfortunately, dual electric motors don't mean the compact hybrid boasts all-wheel drive. All 200 horsepower and 232-lb-ft of torque are channeled to the front wheels via an E-CVT. The sedan model earns the best fuel economy of the two, up to 50 mpg in the city and 47 on the highway. The hatchback model earns identical fuel economy in the city, but highway efficiency drops to 45 mpg. Regardless of body style, the Honda Civic Hybrid rolls out on athletic 18-inch wheels that pair well with full LED lighting. Heated, gloss-black side mirrors come standard, and the sedan model gets black upper window trim as well. Heated front seats are a standard amenity in all Civic Hybrid models, complemented by dual-zone automatic climate control and rear-seat vents. Notably, the Civic Sedan Sport Hybrid comes equipped with a leather-wrapped steering wheel. As for tech, the Honda Civic Hybrid comes ready to keep the good times rolling, with a seven-inch touchscreen display front and center. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity come standard, along with an eight-speaker audio system. Naturally, the 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid comes equipped with some of the industry's top safety systems, including road departure mitigation, lane keeping assist, and traffic sign recognition. The Honda Civic Sedan and Hatchback Sport Hybrid models share similar lease deals that appear to be available throughout the continental United States. The Civic Sedan Sport Hybrid is available for as little as $309 per month and $3,599 due at signing. You can get into a Civic Hatchback Sport Hybrid for just $10 more per month, bringing your monthly payment to $319, with the same $3,599 down payment. If you prefer to reduce your upfront costs, you may qualify for a $0 down payment deal. If you spread the $3,599 down payment over a 36-month term, you need to add roughly $99.98 to your monthly payment. That brings the Civic Sedan Hybrid's payment to $408.98 per month. The Civic Hatchback Hybrid will cost you $10 more per month, bringing the total monthly payment to approximately $418.98. These lease deals span a 36-month term with an annual 10,000-mile allowance. If you want to get behind the wheel of a Civic Hybrid, don't dawdle, as these lease offers are only valid through July 7th. The 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid combines an impressive 200-horsepower powertrain with incredible efficiency of up to 50 mpg in the city. Combined with an affordable monthly payment thanks to a killer lease deal, there's never been a better time to put the compact hybrid in your driveway. Get an official estimate directly from Honda by July 7th to see if you qualify for these lease offers! Lease offers may vary according to location, vehicle configuration, and are subject to credit approval. Advertised monthly payments don't necessarily include taxes, title, registration, or other fees. To learn more about your local 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid lease deals, visit the official Honda website and enter your zip code. *Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. The information presented herein is based on manufacturer-provided lease offer information, which is subject to frequent change and may vary based on location, creditworthiness, and other factors. We are not a party to any lease agreements and assume no liability for the terms, conditions, availability, or accuracy of any lease offers mentioned. All terms, including but not limited to pricing, mileage allowances, and residual values, require direct verification with an authorized local OEM dealership. This article does not constitute financial advice or an endorsement of any particular lease or vehicle. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Business Upturn

8 hours ago

• Business Upturn

Nifty 50 top losers this week (June 21): Tata Motors, Adani Ports, Bajaj Finance, Dr. Reddy's, Adani Enterprises and more

By Aman Shukla Published on June 21, 2025, 09:26 IST Indian stock markets ended the week on a positive note, with benchmark indices posting solid gains. Both the Nifty 50 and Sensex rose over 1.5% for the week, recovering losses from the previous week. Several major stocks underperformed this week, with Tata Motors, Adani Ports and Bajaj Finance leading the losses. Let's take a closer look at the top 10 losers of the Nifty 50 this week, according to Trendlyne. Nifty 50 Top Losers This Week Tata Motors closed at ₹676.2, down 5.0% for the week despite a modest daily gain of 0.6%. Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone ended at ₹1349.3, falling 4.0% over the week. Bajaj Finance settled at ₹905.0, recording a weekly loss of 3.0% . Dr. Reddy's Laboratories closed at ₹1325.3, down 2.7% this week. Adani Enterprises ended the week at ₹2448.4, registering a 2.4% decline. Sun Pharmaceutical Industries slipped 1.3% to finish at ₹1665.1. Bajaj Finserv closed at ₹1986.2, falling 1.2% during the week. Bajaj Auto declined 1.1% , ending the week at ₹8371.0. Nestle India recorded a 0.7% drop to settle at ₹2360.4. Hindustan Unilever closed the week at ₹2306.2, down 0.6%. Disclaimer: The information provided is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial or investment advice. Stock market investments are subject to market risks. Always conduct your own research or consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions. Author or Business Upturn is not liable for any losses arising from the use of this information. Ahmedabad Plane Crash Adani enterprisesAdani PortsBajaj FinanceDr Reddy'sNiftyTata Motors Aman Shukla is a post-graduate in mass communication . A media enthusiast who has a strong hold on communication ,content writing and copy writing. Aman is currently working as journalist at