Make Your Car a Smart Car

Vinli launched at TechCrunch Disrupt SF last September by promising to bring the car into the smartphone age. The company is making a small sensor that plugs into a vehicle’s OBD port and allow the driver to access a suite of apps on their smartphone, providing additional functions not currently built into the car. Think of it as the missing link between your smartphone and car. And today, some nine months after launching, the company is announcing a $6.5 million Series A financing round and several significant product updates, retail distribution news and the launch of its Indiegogo campaign.

Samsung Global Innovation Center led the round with participation from Cox Automotive, Continental ITS and the Westly Group, best known as an early investor in Tesla with the firm’s founder helping the automotive startup go public. Between these four investors, Vinli is gaining access to a vast array of resources, from Samsung’s consumer-oriented focus, to Cox Automotive’s deep reach into car dealers, to Continental’s knowledge as one of the world’s largest tier 1 automotive suppliers. Executives from Samsung Global Innovation Center and Cox Automotive are joining Vinli’s board of directors.