CREATORS EXPEDITION
We drive automotive startups and cutting edge technologies in the area of Electric Mobility, Autonomous Driving as well as Data Driven Innovation & Artificial Intelligence.
Work together with AVL, one of the leading development & engineering companies in the automotive industry.
APPLY NOWOUR FOCUS
We’re looking for visionary entrepreneurs and makers who don’t take current approaches for granted just because they’ve been there for a long time.
The CREATORS EXPEDITION focuses on early and growth stage auto tech startups in the following three technology areas:
Electric Mobility & Alternative Fuels
Alternative Fuels, Battery Management and Energy Storage
Autonomous Driving
Self Driving Software, Radar & Sensors, Connected Vehicle
Artificial Intelligence
Big Data & Analytics and Data-Driven Business Models
STARTUP BENEFITS
By partnering with the AVL startup program, you gain a key expert in your expedition team, able to support in everything from maturing your prototype to supporting your international industrialization ambitions. Translating your concept to automotive application – AVL can be your world-class guide to help you succeed.
APPLY NOWMarket Access
Whether you are taking your first steps into the market or are a more seasoned adventurer, AVL will be able to give you the platform to demonstrate your vision in front of international automotive OEMs. They will help you to better understand their needs and to validate and refine your business model.
Independence
A core value of AVL and this startup initiative– we offer individual programs, tailored to the exact technology and business needs of the startup. As a privately owned, family company, we pride ourselves in investing for the long run.
Growth
We support you with access to a global sales force across 20 countries and help you build up international operations, including marketing, legal, service and maintenance.
Mentoring
We surround you with experienced mentors from AVL and our network, to get industry insights, engineering best practices and advice for strategically scaling your business.
WHY AVL
For the last 70 years, AVL is driving innovation in the automotive industry and effectively every car manufacturer around the globe trusts the know-how and development expertise of AVL.
Global
AVL is present in over 20 countries around the globe with the highest amount of automotive tech centers - and we’ll help you to scale internationally
Innovative
For more than 10 years in a row, AVL is leading the patent ranking in Austria - and we continue to invest 10% of our turnover into our own R&D
Holistic
9.000 AVLers worldwide and 70 years of company history cover almost every aspect of auto-tech expertise - and we’ll put our support for finance, sales & marketing on top
Independent
AVL is an independent partner for all OEMs and as a family-owned business, our CEO & shareholder are one, allowing us to pursue strategic long-term goals & giving you the potential opportunity to work with more than one OEM
OUR PROGRAM
TAILOR MADE FOR YOUR STARTUP
Your decision to participate
Get AVL as a strategic partner on board and apply for the CREATORS EXPEDITION at any time.
APPLY NOW
Prepare the Expedition
Kickoff - you get to know the AVL team and together we define your tailor made startup development program.
Our joint project
The core of the expedition program is a first customer or R&D project where both sides will bring in their expertise in order to create future mobility innovation.
Financial support for the journey
During the program, we’ll invest “smart money” in the form of operational cash support and financed resources without taking any fixed equity.
Special extras that keep you moving
You’ll discover services like the access to an experienced coaching, customer & engineering network, to test & simulation technologies and to mentoring in operational non-technological areas.
Pitch to the CEO
After roughly six months, together with the AVL team, you can unveil the log book of your achievements – the foundation of our future collaboration.
CREATORS EXPEDITION
NEWS & PROJECTS
We have been pioneering various business & technology areas together with startups. Explore their stories to find out, how the CREATORS EXPEDITION is collaborating with startups and how both sides are benefitting from it.

On Friday 29th the third edition of TACC ended with the Final Pitching Event, for the first time fully digital!

Sensors are technical components that convert physical or chemical quantities into electrical signals. With the advancing networking of people and things, sensors are gaining more importance. Therefore, also the number of sensors in cars experienced a significant increase.

'Symbiotic Artificial Intelligence' describes the symbiotic harmony between humans and artificial intelligence. A topic addressed by the startup from Graz 'Leftshift One' and its AI as a service platform G.A.I.A. has developed. This platform is now being used in a joint project with AVL in the area of speech recognition for automotive application.
OUR PARTNERS
In order to bring our joint vision into reality, we enlarge the ecosystem – bringing in our customers – the leading OEMs in the world, collaborating with startup networks, universities and public institutions. All of whom can be instrumental at different stages in our journey.
If you want to be an official partner of the CREATORS EXPEDITION, please feel free to contact us - we’re looking forward to hearing from you.
THE TEAM
The CREATORS EXPEDITION is built by entrepreneurs and startup enthusiasts who speak both languages: startup and corporate.

Guide
Every team needs a guide to be successful on their expedition. Our CREATORS EXPEDITION team is lead by Sebastian. He guides us through the requirements of the AVL, as he matches the needs of startups and the AVL.
Sebastian.Jagsch@avl.com

Navigator
As a navigator of our CREATORS EXPEDITION team, Viktoria connects startups with the AVL departments. She leads them through the project phase and paves the way for a subsequent strong partnership with AVL.
Viktoria.Ilger@avl.com

Discoverer
Alicia is the discoverer of our team and always on the search for new startups and innovative technologies. She is representing CREATORS EXPEDITION on events and scouting activities to network with startups around the world.
Alicia.Reynolds@avl.com

Reporter
Yuma reports on the projects between startups and AVL. He is particularly interested in new solutions and creative approaches and is the first contact point for startups.
Yuma.Buchrieser@avl.com

Discoverer in France
Kathrin is part of the the French CREATORS EXPEDITION team. As a discoverer of the team, she is looking for new startup projects and great innovations on the local market of France.
Kathrin.Luebke@avl.com

Discoverer in Italy
Giorgia is part of the the Italian CREATORS EXPEDITION team. She is constantly looking for new startup projects on the local market of Italy and she is guiding our entrepreneurship program with Unimore, the university of Modena.
Giorgia.Carbone@avl.com