InMotion, Jaguar Land Rover’s in-house innovation spinoff, established its first home on Curtain Road, Shoreditch. The tech startup's new digs—an entire floor of 114-116 Curtain Road—will be used to forge innovations in transport and smart cities.
In April 2016, Jaguar Land Rover unveiled its new innovation lab concept, a technology startup to build apps and on-demand services that would play to the strengths of its parent company’s brand.
InMotion’s head of accelerator programme, James Nettleton, says Shoreditch is a great location for the businesses InMotion is building. “We wanted to be in the heart of Tech City. The overall atmosphere was very important in our search as space is a core part of our proposition to the startups—we house them for a certain period of time.” The new office includes a ground-floor lounge and event space.
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James also praised Kontor, the company that facilitated the Shoreditch location. “We were looking for a very specific image. There’s a spectrum in managed spaces ranging from the very corporate to the scrappier startup world. We needed the best of both worlds: somewhere entrepreneurs would feel at home, but where we could also host investors. This space feels like a good balance between the two.”
Jaguar Land Rover is the latest in a trend of car companies innovating away from their core missions. Aston Martin launched a new "brand experience" on Dover Street earlier this year and Bentley created a customization studio in Westfield.
Other companies have gone even farther outside their comfort zones, like Mercedes-Benz partnering with Fraser Suites Kensington to deliver the ultimate luxury living experience.
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