Two promising Indian startups from New Delhi and Bangalore were named as the winners of a prestigious competition organised by Dubai Technology Entrepreneur Campus (Dtec), the largest hub of its kind in the region and wholly-owned by Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA), which was held during the recent Dubai Startup Hub roadshow to India.

ShipsKart, a New Delhi-based B2B e-commerce platform for marine procurement, claimed first place in the competition and won office space at Dtec and company setup for one year. The second place winner was Loktra, a Bangalore-based banking operating system delivering banking as a service. The startup will receive flexi-desk space at Dtec and company set up for one year.

More than 200 startups from India entered the competition and 16 shortlisted candidates were given an opportunity to pitch their businesses to an expert panel of judges during the roadshow.

The three-day roadshow, organised by Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Dubai Startup Hub initiative and Dubai Technology Entrepreneur Campus, provided an ideal platform for Indian startups to learn about Dubai’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and the vast opportunities, programmes and resources it has to offer.

Omar Khan, Director of International Offices at Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry congratulated the winners on their achievements and noted that both of the selected startups offer unique business concepts that meet market needs and support Dubai’s smart city vision.

Khan said the roadshow and competition attracted strong interest and participation from startups in India and paved the way for new partnerships that foster innovation, create mutual benefits and drive economic growth.

For his part, Hans Henrik Christensen, Vice President of Dtec, said: “The noteworthy success achieved through this roadshow reflects the Indian investors’ and entrepreneurs’ confidence in Dubai, due to its vibrant growing entrepreneurial ecosystem.”

Christensen added: “We are delighted to have partnered with Dubai Chamber on this roadshow, and proud of the positive feedback we have received, which resulted in attracting talented entrepreneurs that guarantee a more prosperous future. Innovation is at the core of the sustainable development drive of the UAE, and a pillar in boosting its competitiveness.”

The Dubai Startup Hub roadshow to India was supported by Startup India and NASSCOM 10000 Startups, in addition to Dtec, and STEP Group. The roadshow included visits to New Delhi and Bangalore, roundtable and panel discussions, and success stories from Indian startups that have benefited from the Dubai Startup Hub platform and built successful businesses in Dubai.

Dubai Chamber launched Dubai Startup Hub in 2016 as an online platform to connect startups, entrepreneurs, developers, venture capitalists and students, enabling them to learn about new opportunities and create new partnerships that stimulate economic growth.

Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority established Dtec in 2015, to provide advanced facilities to startups and entrepreneurs that develop innovative solutions in smart cities, overcoming congestion, waste management, and energy efficiency. The hub is currently spread over an area of 5000 square meters, and home to more than 800 startups from 72 countries.