Mobility Fund I Grant

About this grant

Mobility Fund I is a seed-stage venture capital fund managed by Automotive Ventures, a global mobility-focused investor. The fund provides early-stage capital to startups operating across the transportation and automotive technology ecosystem, with an average initial check size of $500,000. Automotive Ventures positions itself as a 'smart money' investor, combining financial backing with deep industry expertise, a robust network of automotive industry relationships, and hands-on founder support. The fund invests across a broad set of mobility-related verticals including connectivity, cybersecurity and compliance, autonomy, robotics and AI, shared assets and subscription economy models, decarbonization and new energy sources, the evolution of auto commerce, smart city and urban mobility, industrial technology (mining, agriculture, and other non-automotive mobility applications), and the dealership of the future. Automotive Ventures differentiates itself through three pillars: industry expertise that helps founders navigate the automotive landscape and avoid common pitfalls; a robust network that provides credibility, distribution, and co-investor connections; and founder empathy, offering consistent support through the highs and lows of building a company. The fund has backed notable portfolio companies including Axion Ray and WarrCloud under Mobility Fund I.

Eligibility

Applicants must be seed-stage startups operating within the mobility ecosystem, broadly defined to include automotive technology, transportation, smart cities, industrial mobility, and related sectors. The fund is global in scope. There is no explicit restriction on founder geography, company stage beyond seed, or sector beyond the mobility and automotive technology umbrella. Prior recipients from other Automotive Ventures funds (such as Fund I or DealerFund I) appear eligible for co-investment across funds.

How it's scored

The page does not explicitly describe formal evaluation criteria or a scoring rubric. However, the firm's investment thesis and value-add description suggest that applications are assessed on alignment with one or more of their seven mobility verticals, the strength and vision of the founding team, market opportunity, and the potential for the firm's industry network to accelerate growth. The team's automotive industry experience of 25+ years informs their judgment of market fit and founder capability.

Key requirements

• ✓Seed-stage company in mobility, connectivity, cybersecurity, autonomy, robotics, AI, shared assets, decarbonization, auto commerce, smart cities, or industrial mobility
• ✓Average initial investment of $500k
• ✓Focus on technology and innovation in transportation and mobility sectors

Recent past awardees

Knowing who's won the last rounds tells you whether you're in the strike zone.

• Axion Ray · 2022
• WarrCloud · 2021

Funder contact

The notice names a programme contact you can speak to before applying.

Frequently asked questions

How much funding does Automotive Ventures offer?

Mobility Fund I offers $500K.

Who can apply for Mobility Fund I?

Eligibility covers organisations in GLOBAL; startup, sme. See the eligibility criteria above for the full conditions.

Relevant sectors

About this sector

Electric mobility funding supports electric vehicles, charging infrastructure, battery supply chains and fleet transition for buses, vans and trucks. Public authorities buy vehicles and charge points through tenders, while grants back pilots and manufacturing. Applicants usually need site plans, grid capacity checks and an operator for the finished assets.