Bengaluru, Sep 30 (FN Agency) Uber is partnering with Startup India and iCreate on an innovation fund to support new ideas to drive adoption of electric vehicles across the country. The ‘Green Mobility Innovation Challenge’, which will be hosted on the Startup India portal, invites submissions from individuals or startups that focus on innovation in the following three areas: two and three wheelers, the accessibility of charging stations and their ease of use, as well as potential partnership or financial models that can improve EV uptake in India. Ten winners, as chosen by a panel of 5 industry experts, will receive two months of mentorship by Uber’s technical, engineering, and go-to-market teams and iCreate. Of the 10 winners, Uber will disburse a grant of INR 75,00,000 (USD 101,000) among the top 5 startups, followed by six months of incubation at iCreate, an independent centre that aims to provide technology and assistance to young start-ups.
Commenting on the Challenge, Prabhjeet Singh, President, Uber India South Asia, said, “India is home to some of the most polluted cities in the world, and as the country’s leading mobility platform, we take our role of driving a green recovery very seriously. To further strengthen the country’s emerging EV ecosystem, we are partnering with ‘Startup India and iCreate on the ‘Uber Green Mobility Innovation Challenge’ to see what great ideas are out there. It is an honor to be able to support India’s many entrepreneurs in addressing one of the most pressing issues of our time.’ Deepak Bagla, MD & CEO, Invest India said, “India, under the leadership of Hon’ble PM Narendra Modi, is working towards empowering startups, especially those in the field of electric mobility to meet the SDG targets. Innovation is the cornerstone of development for India, and through such challenges we are looking to contribute to strengthen the startup ecosystem in India.”
“It is our vision to promote the growth of entrepreneurial capital which leverages innovation and technology. By partnering with Uber India, we are furthering the same vision on a larger scale by reaching out to startups across India. The future of electric vehicles in India is very promising and we look forward to guiding the participating startups to build this future for the country”, said Rajiv Bose, Head-Business, iCreate. Last year, Uber announced $800M in resources towards helping hundreds of thousands of drivers transition to EVs by 2025, and 100% emission-free rides globally by 2040. In India, the company has over 5,500 EV vehicles on its platform across products and recently, Delhi became the first Indian city where riders can book E-rickshaws on the Uber app. In its long term commitment to providing smarter mobility and building greener cities, Uber has previously also partnered with Mahindra and SUN Mobility and Lithium.