KARACHI: Uber, the global ride-hailing giant connecting riders to drivers, has announced the launch of Uber Pitch 2019, a nationwide competition aimed at enabling budding entrepreneurs. The contest gives tech startups a platform to pitch their ideas to some of Pakistan’s most prominent tech giants. The announcement was made at a networking event attended by thought leaders and entrepreneurs committed to boosting tech innovation in Pakistan.
The Uber Pitch contest, powered by Ignite in collaboration with the National Incubation Centers (NICs), is aimed at giving young entrepreneurs an opportunity to be guided by experienced trainers. Eventually, the startups will have their ideas judged by investors and mentors during the course of the competition.
Yusuf Hussain, CEO Ignite said, “We appreciate Uber’s efforts to boost entrepreneurship in Pakistan and make transport trustworthy, particularly for women”. To cultivate an environment that supports youth-led businesses, a platform like Uber Pitch is pivotal in connecting young entrepreneurs with global experts. The entrepreneurial space in Pakistan is currently booming and, with the right kind of grooming and support, it has the potential to grow exponentially.
“It’s incredible to see talented young entrepreneurs take the reins of the future and work towards bringing their ideas to reality,” said Saad Naveed Pall, Interim GM-Uber. “We need to recognize the challenges Pakistan’s digital ecosystem is currently facing and play our part in building a startup culture that is sustainable and self-sufficient.”
Registrations for this year’s Uber Pitch are now open. Participants willing to take part need to complete an online application form before August 23, 2019. The Uber Pitch team will then evaluate all applications and announce selected startups from each city that will go on to the first round called the Pitch camp. During this phase, trainers and mentors from the School of Leadership and Uber, respectively, will help the selected startups practice and polish the art of delivering a business pitch.
Once the startups have graduated from the Pitch camp, they will be given the opportunity to present their startup idea to a panel of judges in the Qualifier Round. In the last round, the most successful startups from the qualifier round will get a chance to pitch their ideas to some of the biggest investors in the industry during the In-car Finale.
The winning startup, in addition to being given a platform to showcase their ideas and connect with the business community, will be awarded a cash prize, be incubated at the local NIC, and get Uber credit among other things.
Uber is evolving the way the world moves through its app. By seamlessly connecting riders to drivers at the push of a button, we make cities more accessible, opening up more possibilities for riders and more business for our partner drivers and transport operators. Uber’s rapidly expanding global presence continues to bring people and their cities closer and is currently providing service in more than 600 cities across 77 countries on six continents.
