50 startups make an impression on global investors at Elevate-X
India Innovation Hub, India’s pavilion project at EXPO 2020 Dubai, and Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO), an integrated Frison Technology Park, have joined hands by signing a letter of intent (LoI) to support the startup ecosystem in both countries. As part of this agreement, unicorns from India will come to Dubai, where DSO will host “Elevate” sessions, the flagship pitching series for investors organised by the Indian Innovation Centre.
The announcement was made at the tenth edition of the ‘Elevate’ series held at Dubai Silicon Oasis, where the Indian startup and entrepreneurship ecosystem once again showcased its capabilities as 50 startups pitched a number of innovative business ideas to global investors.
Dr Aman Puri, Consul General of India in Dubai and Deputy Commissioner General of India at Expo 2020 Dubai; Dr Juma Al Matrushi, CEO, Dubai Silicon Oasis and Ghanim Al Falasi, Senior Vice President, Technology and Entrepreneurship, Dubai Silicon Oasis and other dignitaries from both parties were present at the event.
Startups from industries such as healthcare, fintech, F&B, energy, space, software as a service (SaaS), logistics, technology and others presented their ideas to global investors during the popular HSBC-backed pitching series.
Sujeet Kumar, co-founder of Udaan, which is India’s largest B2B platform for businesses and shop owners and one of the fastest Indian tech startups to achieve unicorn status, shared his entrepreneurial journey with startups, describing how they built Udaan from idea to successful business and how his company helps small businesses by giving them the right platform and opportunity to grow as entrepreneurs.
Speaking at the session, Dr Aman Puri said: “I am happy to be a part of the signing ceremony of the cooperation agreement between Dubai Silicon Oasis, India Innovation Hub and the Consulate General of India in Dubai. India has become the third largest startup ecosystem in the world with over 40 Indian startups joining the Unicorn Club in 2021. This success is a testament to our Honourable Prime Minister’s vision of a self-reliant and confident India.”
Speaking about the growing partnership between India and Dubai in the field of start-ups, Dr Juma Al Matrushi said: “We are delighted to expand our collaboration with the Indian Innovation Centre following a delegation visit to DSO and Dtec earlier this year and a mutual commitment to support technology-focused start-ups in both countries. The UAE and India recognise the key role of start-ups and SMEs in their respective economies and are keen to support their establishment and development. In line with the goals of the National Entrepreneurship Programme, which aims to make the UAE an ‘Entrepreneurial Nation’ and is home to 20 unicorns by 2031, DSO is partnering with the Indian Innovation Centre to host a series of Elevate pitches and invite promising Indian entrepreneurs who wish to expand their operations.”
Delivering the keynote address, Sujit Kumar said: “I am happy to join the 10th edition of the Elevate series as a guest speaker. The 50 startups presenting are really promising and the ecosystem is very welcoming and supportive. It’s a key platform for them to present their ideas, attract investment, network with like-minded people and get constructive feedback to help them further develop their offerings. I encourage entrepreneurs to keep working hard and focus on the prize.”
Some of the Indian startups that have pitched their business ideas include PrognoAdvisor, an early-stage fintech startup that provides financial wellbeing to corporate employees; Kalki Ecosphere, a startup working on sustainable solutions as an alternative to disposable plastic bottled water; EXPRESSbase, an open-source platform for fast-growing SMEs and governments to create applications for internal processes.
Among the Dubai-based start-ups participating in the session were QQ Technologies, the world’s first 5G IoT satellite operator, providing global cellular solutions for Internet of Things (IoT) and machine-to-machine (M2M) communications via satellite; FreshNow, which aims to offer fruit juices in the freshest form by reducing production to consumption time and ensuring no waste; Gameblar, a multiplayer gaming platform for casual, intelligent games in the play-2-win sector, and others.
SurveySparrow from California (US) also showcased a cloud-based experience management platform that helps brands improve experiences at every touchpoint.
The India pavilion has recently reached an important milestone, with more than 250 start-ups represented since the start of the pitching series.
The next Elevate session is scheduled for 17 February 2022
To participate in the India Innovation Hub series, please visit: https://form.jotform.com/213232304501033
India Innovation Hub, a project of the India Pavilion at EXPO 2020 Dubai, and Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO), the integrated freezone technology park, joined hands as they signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) to support the startup ecosystem in both countries. pic.twitter.com/lMZzr6QUqQ
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) February 9, 2022
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