Mercedes-Benz R&D India expands Sustainability Garage

Mercedes- Benz Research and Development India (MBRDI) on Wendesday announced the expansion of Sustainability Garage – A Mercedes- Benz Initiative, a unique platform for diverse stakeholder groups to collaborate and champion sustainability goals.

Designed to enable research, create interactive spaces for immersive engagement, and promote social innovation projects in climate, environment, and sustainable mobility, the initiative will now include two new Centres of Excellence based out of Hyderabad and New Delhi.

The expansion was announced at Mercedes- Benz Sustainability Dialogue India 2024 in New Delhi, where Renata Jungo Brüngger, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG for Integrity, Governance & Sustainability, and Manu Saale, Managing Director and CEO, Mercedes- Benz Research and Development India, exchanged views and perspectives with representatives from government, industry, academia, policymakers, think tanks, and NGOs on various sustainability topics.

The first new Centre of Excellence of the Sustainability Garage, the Climate Tech Incubator, aims to support 25 social enterprises focused on sustainable mobility and environmental innovation. MBRDI will provide seed funding, customised support, and deep-tech mentorship to selected enterprises.

Complementing this effort, T-Hub, India's leading startup incubator and innovation hub, will engage over 500 students. The Centre of Excellence focusing on Charging Infrastructure, set up in partnership with The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), will offer a specialised training program on maintenance of charging infrastructure, certifying 60 young professionals.