• Forbes Idea Incubator allows female NYU Tandon School of Engineering students the opportunity to help develop solutions to critical issues facing the automotive and transportation sectors
• Students came together virtually for a full day of innovation around a challenge topic on the benefits of electric vehicle adoption
• Audi awarded fourth Audi Drive Progress Grant to aid students with tuition costs or related expenses

HERNDON, Va., March 8, 2021 – On Feb. 27, Audi of America partnered with Forbes and the New York University’s Tandon School of Engineering to host the fourth Forbes Idea Incubator, a one-day virtual event designed to support science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education for collegiate women.

This year, Audi and Forbes challenged female students from the NYU Tandon School of Engineering to think critically and help develop potential solutions that address the gender gap in female consumers’ education around the benefits and ease-of-use of electric vehicles. Audi of America knows that the future is electric and is committed to that future with an ambitious goal that 30% of its new U.S. model lineup will be electrified by 2025 to help create a more sustainable future.

An extension of Audi of America’s sponsorship of the 2020 Forbes Women’s Summit that was held virtually on December 9, the Forbes Idea Incubator served as a platform to present the fourth Audi Drive Progress Grant, a $50,000 fund providing financial assistance for student tuition and related expenses. This year’s fund included an additional $7,500 individual award given to the student that showcased strong teamwork and collaboration skills, representing the Audi value of inclusion throughout the ideation process.

“By empowering today’s female STEM students, we’re underscoring our commitment to building a better tomorrow, allowing more people to reach their highest potential and helping to support gender equality, inclusion and innovation,” said Sara Whiffen, vice president, Strategy and New Business, Audi of America. “Audi is honored to stand alongside Forbes and NYU Tandon and help support a program dedicated to inspiring and building future generations of STEM leaders as we all work to drive progress in the automotive industry and beyond.”

Through various inclusion initiatives, Audi is committed to cultivating and promoting a diverse culture that helps enable women to achieve their highest potential by removing barriers to equity, inclusivity, growth and development.

– End –

At Audi of America, we believe the Future is Electric. Our U.S. model lineup will be 30 percent electrified, including fully electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, by 2025, and globally we are committed to net CO2 neutrality by 2050. In 2020, Audi sold 186,620 vehicles in the U.S., and this year, we look forward to the next chapter in our journey to reinvent premium mobility with the arrivals of the fully electric Audi e-tron GT and Audi Q4 e-tron. Learn more about who we are and how we’re working to create a more electric, innovative, and inclusive future at audiusa.com or media.audiusa.com.