Uber launches startup mentorship programme 'uberEXCHANGE'

Taxi-hailing app Uber today announced a new startup mentorship programme in the country in partnership with Invest India called 'uberEXCHANGE'. Over the next years, Uber will host a series of six leadership talks by senior Uber executives, including from their headquarters in San Francisco, the company said in a statement.

The programme will address issues that entrepreneurs face, like fund-raising, product design, engineering and how to scale up a business. At the end of the programme, the top 10 startups will travel to San Francisco, where they will be introduced to global investors, fellow entrepreneurs and the team at Uber, it said.

This public-private initiative will enable students, entrepreneurs and industry leaders to learn from each other, helping to create a culture that celebrates risk-taking and views failure as an opportunity to learn. It will also support Prime Minister's vision to make India a global startup hub.

"Today, more and more people aspire to be entrepreneurs and build something themselves. That's why Prime Minister Narendra Modi's startup India initiative is so important, and that is why we're excited to share our experience with hundreds of startups and entrepreneurs as they begin their journey," Uber's chief executive Travis Kalanick said.

Kalanick is expected to give the inaugural speech at the Startup India Initiative on January 16, speaking about his own journey as an entrepreneur. "This mentorship programme will be immensely valuable to Indian entrepreneurs and I am excited about the exchange of knowledge and ideas between the startup culture in India and the Silicon Valley," DIPP Secretary Amitabh Kant said.

"This is just one step towards stronger ties with the international startup community, and the possibilities are unlimited," he added.