Uber awarded 10 merchant partners, driver partners and couriers with prizes ranging from luxury hotel stays, smart phones and a motorcycle, to recognise their innovative business ideas at Uber Entrepreneurship Challenge 2021. The awards ceremony was held at the Park Street Mews, Colombo in the presence of chief guest, Youth and Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa.
The Challenge, an industry-first event, was conducted in partnership with the Youth and Sports Ministry and provided merchants, drivers and delivery partners alike, with a platform to showcase their entrepreneurial spirit and innovation. Shani Dias, who emerged winner of the Merchant category for her unique recipe of submarines and hotdogs made with local, plant-based ingredients, was awarded a two-night full board stay at Heritance Kandalama and a Samsung Galaxy S7 Tab. Nimesh Sandaruwan, who was named winner of the Driver/Courier category for his concept of expanding services through the Uber platform, was awarded a motorcycle.
Minister Namal Rajapaksa said, “There is no shortage of talent and innovative ideas in Sri Lanka. We are constantly looking for ways to provide opportunities for people, especially the youth, to chase after their dreams and strengthen the nation. Creating a culture that is conducive to start-ups is an important part of this mission.
The Uber Entrepreneur Challenge is an initiative that is in line with this objective and, thus, we are very happy to have been able to collaborate with a company that is creating new opportunities every day.”