Announcing the New Mobility Accelerator 2016 Cohort

Technology has revolutionised daily commutes by providing increasingly efficient transport options in Indian cities. Young and dynamic entrepreneurs are deploying technology-bases solutions to offer more convenient, comfortable, and reliable commutes. For example, ridesharing and similar apps have changed the way people in cities like Delhi, Bangalore, and Mumbai commute.

Earlier this year, WRI India Sustainable Cities launched the New Mobility Accelerator 2016, offering new and innovative early-stage shared mobility businesses an opportunity to build a strong value proposition and access funding to scale. The Accelerator was organised in partnership with CIIE, and supported by Shell Foundation and Hewlett Foundation. Applications were received from 70 businesses in the sector.

The 11 shortlisted companies were invited to participate in a boot-camp and a final pitch session in New Delhi between 4-6 April 2016. Four of these companies will continue to work with us through to October 2016 towards refining their business models via improving vehicle occupancy and utilisation, expanding reach and access of services, and providing responsive, efficient, safe, and economical transport solutions. Here are the four winners of the New Mobility Accelerator 2016:

• Commut (Hyderabad) is an app-based, point-to-point services that run mini-bus services for daily office commutes.
• Dryve (Bengaluru) aims to be the most hassle-free, reliable, convenient and affordable two-wheeler rental service in India offering bikes for self-drive by the hour, day, or week, with an option to have the vehicles delivered right at your doorstep.
• HopOn (Bengaluru) is a SaaS-based employee transport management solution combining a robust ride request management platform with a vehicle and driver allocation system, including an integrated channel to track and siphon meaningful data for analytics and forecasting.
• Next2Metro (New Delhi) provides free, reliable and user-friendly information to users so that they can reach their desired destinations in minimum possible time with precise route description and direction.

The six-month programme will include business and potential financial support to these businesses, culminating in a Demo Day later this year with a group of investors.

Based on the success of the Rickshaw Rising Challenge, which offered entrepreneurs business, technical and financial support and resulted in impacting the entire auto rickshaw ecosystem, and the ongoing New Mobility Accelerator, WRI India Sustainable Cities hopes to continue to support new and innovative early stage shared mobility businesses that are providing mobility-as-a-service and transforming urban transport in India.

The attempt is to change the wider business and investment community’s perception by supporting shared mobility entrepreneurs in running profitable businesses with a potential of scaling-up. This will spur participation, in the form of new business, investment, and innovation, by the private sector in sustainable transport models.