Ride-hailing aggregator Uber announced on Thursday that it is partnering with Startup India and iCreate on an innovation fund to support new ideas to drive adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in the country.
The 'Green Mobility Innovation Challenge' will be hosted on the Startup India portal. Organisers are inviting submissions from individuals or startups that focus on innovation in three areas. These are -- 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.
Prabhjeet Singh, President, Uber India South Asia, said, "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 honour to be able to support India's many entrepreneurs in addressing one of the most pressing issues of our time."
Uber said 10 winners will be chosen by a panel of five industry experts. They will receive two months of mentorship by Uber's technical, engineering, and go-to-market teams and iCreate.
Uber will disburse a grant of Rs 75,00,000 among the top 5 startups. This will be followed by six months of incubation at iCreate, which is an independent centre that aims to provide technology and assistance to young start-ups.
Deepak Bagla, MD & CEO, Invest India said, "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," said Rajiv Bose, Head-Business, iCreate.
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