NS ET Startup Awards 2021 the jury that chose urban company As the final winner in the new introduction covid-led business transformation Category, highlighted this aspect as a key avenue for the Gurugram-based firm, formerly known as UrbanClap.
One of the contenders for the top spot, Hubilo, which transformed from a platform that manages individual events individually into a service-based virtual and hybrid business model, also received a special mention.
“We are honored to receive the award. The pandemic has been a defining period for us. We quickly doubled down on our decision to stand by our customers, partners and employees, as opposed to slowing down and cutting costs,” Bhal said. “This award is a testament that hard times don’t last, it’s what we make of them that matters.”
The jury members said the fact that the customers were confident enough to allow a stranger (the service partner) to enter their homes for various services.
“They completely transformed their business during COVID-19, using various safety protocols and vaccination of employees to turn a terrible pandemic into a business opportunity. They launched and expanded new categories like men’s salons. After all, Urban Company personnel were one of the few “outsiders” who were entering our homes before anyone else,” said one of the jury members, Zomato co-founder Deepinder Goyal.
Also read tech news of the day
Although Goyal distanced himself from voting as an angel investor in Urban Company, he was involved in the discussion of choosing the winner.
Bhal said that over the past 18 months, Urban Company has added thousands of new service partners, hired hundreds of employees and expanded its geographic footprint to 20 new cities in India and three other countries.
“Our safety protocols, and new service offerings were well received by customers who trusted us to take advantage of hygienic services at home,” he added.
In June, the company
Raised $225 million in fresh capital At a valuation of $2.1 billion, more than double that of its previous round.
Read also:
Urban Company joins IPO race after $255 million fundraise
claimant
Qmath | Manan Khurma
more tech
Cuemath is an education technology startup focused on teaching mathematics in the K-12 space globally. To date, more than 200,000 students have enrolled on its platform and it has expanded its presence to 25 countries, shifting focus from an offline-plus-online model to an online-only model.
Hubillo | Vaibhav Jain and Mayank Agarwal
more tech
Hubilo is a cloud-based virtual and hybrid event management software provider that provides businesses with real-time insights and analytics to assess the success of events. Hubillo prepared to stage a virtual event within 30 days following the COVID-19 pandemic. It repackaged its existing solution and rapidly expanded its virtual event platform.
Rapido | Aravind Sanka, Pavan Guntupalli & Rishikesh SR
more tech
Rapido is a leader in the bike taxi segment, having launched the service in 2015. The business was badly hit by the pandemic, but it quickly spun off to partner with companies that distribute food and essentials. It also launched Rapido Auto, and now about 40% of its revenue comes from new initiatives.