BMW Group Canada Attends C2 Montreal as Official Sustainable-Mobility Partner. UPDATED WITH PHOTOS.

Montreal, QC.  BMW Canada has been involved with C2 Montreal, an event whose aim is to unleash creativity and help leaders across various industries face disruption and change, since 2015.  Used originally as a platform to showcase its innovative BMW i sub-brand, both BMW Group brands – BMW and MINI – are supporting this year’s C2 event.

“C2 is a place where thoughtful, intelligent leaders come to get inspired and change the way they do business,” said Sebastian Beuchel, director, BMW Brand Management.  “This is what our in-house think-tank, BMW i, is all about.  BMW i looks at the major disruptions happening in the automotive industry and finds unique, innovative solutions in the form of products and services.  It has helped future proof the BMW Group, and has positioned us as a leader in electrified vehicles. Today, the BMW Group is transitioning from a premium automobile manufacturer to a premium tech company for mobility. We understand disruption, so being here is a perfect fit for us.”

“Joining this engagement is a tremendous way for us to educate the public about what MINI stands for,” said Andrew Scott, director, MINI Canada. “MINI is a brand that was founded on building creative solutions to real-world challenges. That means facing disruption and being innovative. Being here together with BMW is a great way for both of us to showcase our knowledge and experience.”

At this year’s event, BMW and MINI are offering introductions to a selection of their electrified vehicles. The BMW i8, BMW i3s, BMW 530e and MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 will all be plugged in awaiting test drives.

Micah Kotch, managing director of MINI’s Brooklyn-based startup accelerator URBAN-X, will also attend the event. Every six months, URBAN-X selects up to 10 startups and invests $100,000 in each company.  The accelerator is focused on supporting startups that are developing innovative solutions to reimagine life in cities through technology and design.  The URBAN-X program, which recently launched its fourth cohort of startups, provides 20 immersive weeks of customer development, product development, network-building and expert guidance from BMW and MINI designers and engineers.

Companies in the URBAN-X accelerator work across a wide variety of sectors that affect city life: mobility and transportation, energy, real estate and construction, food, waste, water, public health and safety, infrastructure, and civic technology. “URBAN-X is excited to connect with entrepreneurs from all over the world who are asking themselves how they can make cities more efficient, more enjoyable, and more liveable,” Mr. Kotch explained. “If a company is creating a solution that will drive a better urban experience, URBAN-X is interested.”

A highly competitive program, URBAN-X accepts less than two percent of the companies that apply. URBAN-X receives applications from all around the globe, with one Canadian company, Contextere, having gone through the accelerator program thus far.  Contextere (www.urban-x.com/contextere) applies artificial intelligence, Internet of Things and wearable technologies to enable a connected industrial workforce. Selected for URBAN-X’s second cohort in 2016, Contextere develops connected platforms that improve safety and maximize productivity of the blue-collar workforce.  “Contextere is using the latest automation and AI technologies to create more job opportunities for some of our most highly skilled workers,” Mr. Kotch said. “Contextere is transforming the future of work.”

Mr. Kotch and his team travel the world meeting entrepreneurs and early-stage companies working to reimagine life in cities. Having recently announced seven companies selected for URBAN-X’s fourth cohort, Mr. Kotch will be in Montreal to meet with the tech and design community – founders, investors, other companies, and municipal officials – who share that mission. “We recognize that Montreal, with its vibrant startup ecosystem, is a must-stop on the URBAN-X global tour,” he explained. Mr. Kotch hopes to find a team – or teams – in which to invest for the next cohort of the URBAN-X program, which begins in November, 2018.

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BMW Group in Canada

BMW Group Canada, based in Richmond Hill, Ontario, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BMW AG and is responsible for the distribution of BMW luxury performance automobiles, Sports Activity Vehicles, Motorcycles, and MINI.  BMW Group Financial Services Canada is a division of BMW Group Canada and offers retail financing and leasing programs and protection products on new and pre-owned BMW and MINI automobiles, as well as retail financing for new and pre-owned BMW Motorcycles. A total network of 49 BMW automobile retail centres, 21 BMW motorcycle retailers, and 30 MINI retailers represents the BMW Group across the country.

For more information, please contact:

Marc Belcourt, Director, Corporate Communications

BMW Group Canada

905-428-5078 / marc.belcourt@bmwgroup.ca                                 

Barb Pitblado, Manager, Corporate Communications

BMW Group Canada  

905-428-5005 / barb.pitblado@bmwgroup.ca