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Uber, 43North announce partnership to foster innovation and entrepreneurship in Buffalo

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Fri, Dec 16th 2016 09:50 am

UberPITCH to come to Buffalo in January, offer local entrepreneurs the chance to win $5,000

Partnership to include long-term initiatives to benefit Buffalo tech startups

Uber NY and 43North - the $5 million startup competition - on Friday announced a partnership to promote and foster tech innovation and attract startups and entrepreneurs to Buffalo. 

The two organizations announced they will bring UberPITCH to Buffalo in January, giving entrepreneurs in the area the opportunity to request in the app the chance to pitch prominent businessperson and receive personalized feedback. The entrepreneur who gives the best pitch will receive a $5,000 prize. Specifics on UberPITCH will be announced in the coming weeks.

Uber and 43North also laid out the following joint efforts as they begin their long-term partnership:

•43North will host Uber leaders or investors to meet with and advise startups based in 43North's incubator space;

•43North will have access to UberNYC's office space for conferences and meetings in New York City to promote the competition, Buffalo's entrepreneurial ecosystem and 43North's winners; 


•Uber will facilitate conversations about 43North using company office spaces around North America; 


•Uber will fund scholarships for local Buffalo students to be awarded by 43North;

•Uber will serve as a sponsor of 43North Week next year;

•If allowed to operate, Uber will offer free rides to finalists coming to Buffalo for 43North Week next year; and 


•Uber will provide 43North with credits for rides in NYC for meetings. 


"Buffalo has the potential to be a major center of tech and innovation in upstate New York," said Josh Mohrer, general manager of Uber NY. "But in order to attract and retain talent, residents should have access to technology that most of the country already has - including ridesharing services like Uber. We are committed to working with 43North to ensure that Buffalo residents are not left behind the rest of the country and NYC." 

John Gavigan, executive director of 43North, said, "43North is helping to lead an entrepreneurial movement in Western New York and we are excited to partner with a company as innovative as Uber to provide additional value to startups in our region. Buffalo is a forward-thinking city, and one way we can demonstrate that is by welcoming Uber to our community."

43North is the $5 million startup competition, awarding cash prizes to some of the best entrepreneurs and startups from around the world. 43North winners also receive free incubator space in Buffalo for one year, guidance from mentors in related fields, and access to other business-incentive programs such as START-UP NY. 43North operates through the support of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's "Buffalo Billion" initiative and grants of $6 million from the New York Power Authority and $1 million from Empire State Development. Additional support comes from National Grid and several other sponsors. For a full list of sponsors and more information about 43North, visit www.43north.org.

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