Porsche is expanding its start-up ecosystem with Zync, which is to become a strategic partner through its company building team Forward31.
Zync is a San Francisco-based “passenger experience company” which provides digital entertainment services such as video streaming, gaming and e-commerce to cars. Through the partnership, Porsche says it is pursuing its interests in business areas beyond its core while focusing on developing new solutions for the in-car entertainment of the future.
Zync’s technology aims to bridge the gap between the entertainment and automotive industries, by enabling media content to be delivered to cars via a central partner. Thanks to a newly developed software solution and international partner network, streaming offers from third-party providers, for example, can be integrated directly into vehicles’ entertainment systems. The advantage, says Zync, is that this solution is based entirely on existing infotainment architectures, which means that hardware adjustments are not necessary. In addition to car manufacturers, Zync is also aimed at new mobility providers.
“Digital and personalizable in-vehicle solutions are becoming increasingly important for many drivers. With Zync, we’re now creating another opportunity to offer current and popular entertainment formats for this environment,” said Christian Knörle, head of company building at Porsche Digital. “We’re delighted to be working with Rana June (RJ) and her founding team to help develop this promising market.”
Beyond hosting a number of diverse media collaborations, Zync also has access to curated libraries of premium content. These are personalized through intelligent algorithms and recommended based on user interests, travel duration and current mood. By 2023, it will be able to integrate further functions such as interactive video games or online shopping as well.
“We are delighted to have Forward31, a strong partner from the automotive industry, at our side,” said Zync founder RJ. In addition to its headquarters in San Francisco, the US startup will open another office in Munich, Germany, later this year.
