“We started this programme in line with prime minister Modi’s vision of making India a global startup hub,” Uber told Quartz. “This public-private initiative will enable students, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders to learn from each other.” Chief executive Travis Kalanick, who joked that he would even get Indian citizenship to make it in Uber’s second-largest market after the US, is also mentoring local entrepreneurs as part of the UberExchange programme under the “Startup India Initiative.”

Also, through UberPitch, the company is seeking a deeper understanding of the “many markets” within India, with their different languages, cultures, and customs, Vivek Wadhwa, a fellow at Carnegie Mellon, told Qurtz. “They’re able to go and plant a thousand seeds and then see which one they want to grow,” Wadhwa said.