For the past few years, the Los Angeles Auto Show has hosted the Top Ten Automotive Startups competition. The event is now open for submissions through July 15, so if you’ve got an automotive app, service or cool bit of tech, now’s your chance.
The 10 winners will be featured at the LAAS Automobility Technology Pavilion, which is just outside the LA Convention Center. These companies will get booth space in the pavilion, where thousands of industry analysts, media members, manufacturers and government types will be hanging out and looking for the next big thing — or at least the next useful thing.
All 10 winners also receive exclusive networking opportunities with industry executives and board members at the event. And they’ll get access to a list of mentors to contact after the show who can advise these startups on business matters.
The juries selecting the finalists are comprised of executives from companies like Elektrobit, Nvidia, Porsche Consulting and Microsoft. LA Auto Show executives will weigh in, as well. Three of the 10 winners will be named finalists, and one of those will receive a live onstage session with advisers, including venture capitalist Bill Tai; Norman Firchau of Porsche Consulting North America; and Jeff Henshaw, the program manager for quantum computing at Microsoft.
If you’re one of those readers who’s also a doer, this might be your opportunity to get a foot in the automotive tech door. The range of what counts as an automotive startup is wide. In past years, companies like Argus Cyber Security, startup car manufacturer Elio Motors and ride-hailing for kids service HopSkipDrive have all reached the top 10, and, in some cases, received major funding afterward. Apply here, doers.