Sheeva.AI has announced that it has closed a strategic round, led by Hagiwara Electronics Co., Ltd. of Japan, and the Aggarwal Family of the Sterling Group, to fuel the adoption of its connected vehicle technology and Open API platform for automation of location-based services and in-car payments.
Takeshi Soejima, President of Hagiwara Electronics Co., Ltd., said, “In North America, the automobile industry is undergoing major changes, and new industries, such as MaaS, are emerging. This makes it one of the most important strategic regions for Hagiwara Electric as we aim for global growth. Collaboration with Sheeva.AI is very important for the realization of our strategy.”
Anish Agarwal of the Sterling Group, added, “We immediately saw the potential of Sheeva.AI’s API platform for location-enabled vehicle features and services. Our collaboration ultimately led to investment and to the launch of a subsidiary in India to accelerate growth throughout South and Southeast Asia.”
Evgeny Klochikhin, CEO and Founder of Sheeva.AI, said, “We are excited to have Hagiwara Electric Co. Ltd, and the Aggarwal Family lend their collective deep automotive expertise to our team. Their investments will accelerate our existing work with automotive OEMs, energy companies, Departments of Transportation, and beyond, driving our growth to millions of vehicles by the end of 2022.”
Evgeny added, “Look, most in-vehicle platforms are overly complex, require you to learn new tech and, ultimately, are very vehicle focused. Our focus is on the driver. We enable auto manufacturers and merchants to automate services, such as fueling, curbside pickup and parking, for the driver. This creates a better driving experience with a more engaged customer.”
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