Michelin, a leading tyre manufacturer has announced the winners of the Michelin AI Challenge, which it states is the first AI challenge in the sector.

The initiative was launched in collaboration with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), and Startup India, with an aim to foster innovation and entrepreneurship in the Indian AI startup ecosystem while exposing them to global best practices.

The award ceremony took place at IIT Delhi, with the presence of special guests Petros Sourmelis, Minister-Counsellor, Delegation of EU to India and Bhutan; Marie Khater, Deputy Head of the Regional Economic Department for India and South Asia, Embassy of France; Dr. Ambica Rajagopal, Michelin Group's Chief Data and AI Officer, and Shantanu Deshpande, MD, Michelin India.

From the 10 startups presenting their ideas Kogo.ai, Prophecy, and Zangoh.ai were recognised for their innovative contributions, learning opportunities to co-build on strategic projects and receive mentorship. 

The startups were evaluated by a team of Michelin’s AI data scientists, business leaders, product managers and developers. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has already been signed between Michelin and DPIIT, aimed at fostering sustained innovation and entrepreneurship, while creating an enabling environment for startups to thrive.

Dr. Ambica Rajagopal said " The Michelin AI Startup Challenge is designed to identify and support innovative startups to build solutions using AI agents, LLMs, computer vision, and robotics to enhance manufacturing, product quality, road and pedestrian safety, and how to use AI in a responsible, explainable and ethical way. By leveraging LLMs and generative AI, we are not just automating workflows but enabling intelligent agents to discover optimal paths of action through complex choices. These AI systems are now able to generate insights from distributed knowledge, linking structured and unstructured data to build deeper models of customer behaviour. The potential to unlock creativity and innovation has never been greater.”

Shantanu Deshpande said, “At Michelin, our commitment to India is reflected in our decision to establish our AI headquarters in Pune and in our continued partnership with the government through initiatives like the MoU signed with DPIIT. We believe in the power of collaboration, where our global expertise and mentorship, combined with the government's scale and vision, create a win-win scenario. We sincerely extend our gratitude to DPIIT for their invaluable support in making this challenge a success."

Petros Sourmelis stated, “The AI Challenge is a novel initiative of Michelin that aims to expand Data and AI capabilities and bring innovation to the forefront. That it has received more than 200 applications from startups across the country speaks volumes about the interest this program and its themes have generated. I hope this will give a huge spur to industry linked innovation and entrepreneurship in the country.”

Marie Khater said; “The work and activities engaged by Michelin in India embodies the profound and concrete partnership that our two countries have on digital technologies. Not only is Michelin an industrial group, one of the leaders in tyre manufacturing but the company is deeply engaged in innovation and R&D, particularly in the digital space. I am really looking forward to seeing how we can build on existing initiatives from French and Indian companies like this one to find synergies and strengthen our bilateral ties on innovation, notably in the perspective of the Indo-French year of innovation in 2026.”

The Michelin AI Challenge, was a 12-week-long initiative and undertaken in multiple stages which included, outreach, applications, shortlisting and mentorship until September 2024, followed by the grand finale featuring the shortlisted startups.

The challenge saw over 106 startups applying from all over the country; around 60 percent startups from tier 1 cities and tier 2 cities applied, showcasing diverse and innovative AI solutions.

The top ten AI innovators from the AI Startup Challenge presented their projects at the demo day at IIT Delhi. The three winning teams were awarded paid pilot projects from Michelin, with funding of up to INR 500,000 each. Furthermore, these winners will gain access to global contracts and incubation support from Michelin leadership.

DPIIT has been proactively working towards mobilising startups in the manufacturing space, and to provide them with early-stage support necessary for their growth. It is building an initiative to bridge the gap between industry and startups, by supporting with setting-up of incubators and incubation programs led by the industry. The initiative aims to empower manufacturing startups with innovative technologies and sustainable practices, enabling them to become leaders in the global market through incubation supported by the industry.

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TBC Corporation, one of North America’s largest marketers of automotive replacement tyres through wholesale and franchise operations, has announced the appointment of Bill Schafer as Chief Revenue Officer for TBC Wholesale. This leadership change follows the planned retirement of Rodger Smith, who will remain with the organisation until December 2026 to support a seamless handover.

Since joining TBC in March 2024, Schafer has concentrated on expanding the company’s wholesale operations. He brings three decades of experience from Michelin, where he directed business to business sales, distribution and logistics across North America while managing a team of over 600 people. His background positions him well to drive revenue growth in his new role.

Smith, a 45-year veteran sales executive with diverse industry expertise, has been instrumental at TBC since his arrival in 2020. He led strategic efforts such as strengthening the national sales organisation and launching Supply Chain as a Service. His continued presence through late 2026 ensures that his knowledge and initiatives will carry forward under Schafer’s leadership.

Don Byrd, President and Chief Executive Officer, TBC Corporation, said, “Bill and Rodger previously partnered to lead TBC’s wholesale strategy and reinforce TBC’s mission of being the distributor of choice in the markets we serve. Our focus is clear: TBC will continue to drive value-creating solutions for our customers in the mobility and automotive industry through exceptional service, a diverse product portfolio and innovative solutions.”

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Dow Inc. said its chief executive Jim Fitterling will become executive chair of the board from 1 July , 2026, with chief operating officer Karen S Carter appointed as chief executive.

Carter will also join the board on the same date, while Richard Davis will continue as independent lead director.

The company said the changes follow a multi-year succession planning process and are intended to ensure continuity as it advances its strategy as a materials science group.

“On behalf of the Board, I want to thank Jim for his exceptional leadership and continued contributions to Dow,” Davis said. “Jim has led the company through a period of significant transformation while strengthening Dow's strategy, culture and long-term positioning. We are equally pleased to congratulate Karen on her appointment as CEO. She is a disciplined, highly respected leader with a deep understanding of Dow's businesses and customers. This appointment reflects our confidence in her ability to lead Dow forward into its next chapter of growth and value creation for customers, employees and shareholders.”

Fitterling, who has been chief executive since 2018 and chair since 2020, oversaw the company’s separation from DowDuPont and led its repositioning towards higher-growth, consumer-led markets. He also guided the group through broader macroeconomic and geopolitical challenges, while advancing its sustainability ambitions and corporate culture.

“Serving as CEO of Dow has been the privilege of a lifetime,” Fitterling said. “Together with our employees and leadership team, we have transformed Dow into a stronger, more focused company with the right strategy, capabilities and culture for the future. I look forward to continuing to support Dow as Executive Chair and working closely with Karen to help ensure continuity and strong execution.”

As executive chair, Fitterling will continue to lead the board, focusing on long-term strategy, governance and external relationships.

Carter, who has spent more than three decades at Dow, currently oversees business and operational performance across the company as chief operating officer. She previously led the packaging and specialty plastics division, the group’s largest operating segment, where she focused on capacity expansion, asset upgrades and operational reliability, alongside efforts linked to circular economy initiatives.

“I am deeply honored to assume the role of CEO and lead Dow into our next chapter,” Carter said. “Dow has extraordinary people, world-class assets and leading positions in the markets we serve. Our focus remains unwavering: delivering reliable and innovative solutions for our customers, and long-term value for our employees and our shareholders, while accelerating our transformation to set a new competitive standard for best-in-class performance. I look forward to continuing my partnership with Jim in his new role as Executive Chair, and to working with the Board and all of Team Dow to advance our strategy and deliver on our priorities.”

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Nokian Tyres plc is expanding its partnership with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to strengthen IT operations and support ongoing transformation.

The companies will focus their expanded partnership on maintaining and developing IT applications to meet Nokian Tyres’ future needs and to increase the efficiency of its IT operations.

TCS has already handled Nokian Tyres’ service desk support, end-user services like device deliveries, and network and data centre operations. Starting June 1, 2026, TCS will also take over maintenance and development of IT applications, as well as on-site support for internal processes.

This change is part of a larger restructuring of Nokian Tyres’ IT organisation to keep up with changing business needs.

“A more extensive partnership with TCS will enable Nokian Tyres to have a globally unified, agile, and efficient operating model that supports business needs. In addition, it creates a sustainable foundation for the increasing adoption of next-generation technologies such as automation, data-driven solutions and artificial intelligence,” said Timmy McLellan, vice-president, IT and processes, and chief information officer at Nokian Tyres.

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JK Tyre & Industries, one of the leading tyre manufacturers in the country, has appointed Mandar V Deo as President – India, effective immediately.

Based in Delhi, Deo will report to the Chairman and Managing Director, Dr Raghupati Singhania, and the Managing Director, Anshuman Singhania. He joins the tyre manufacturer with more than two decades of experience in senior leadership positions, having previously served at Exide Energy Solutions, Cummins India and Cummins Inc.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Pune University, alongside a Master’s degree and a PhD from Pennsylvania State University. He also holds an MBA from the Kelly School of Business at Indiana University.

Deo’s appointment comes as JK Tyre continues to expand its global footprint, which currently spans 105 countries and includes 11 manufacturing facilities in India and Mexico with an annual production capacity of 35 million tyres.

The company maintains a focus on technical innovation through its Raghupati Singhania Centre of Excellence in Mysore and was the first in India to introduce 'Smart Tyre' technology featuring integrated Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS). Additionally, JK Tyre has committed to the global RE100 initiative, aiming to transition to 100% renewable electricity by 2050.

Dr Raghupati Singhania, Chairman & Managing Director, JK Tyre, said, “I am confident that Mr. Deo will provide strong and adept leadership and steer JK Tyre on a new growth trajectory.”

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