UberArtist recognized musicians and artists who drive with Uber to pay the bills. UberMentor paired leaders in science and technology in the backseat with riders. And UberEats partnered with local restaurants to deliver food.
For a company that has slowly expanded beyond transportation, it is no surprise that “Uber” now prefaces another noun.
On Small Business Saturday this past weekend, Uber launched UberEntrepreneurs, an initiative intended to spotlight small business owners who double as Uber drivers. The initiative, which launched throughout Southern California, includes a light bulb icon beside certain driver’s names and an UberEntrepreneur badge to hang in cars, features which are intended to draw attention to a driver’s fledgling businesses.
“I think there is an entrepreneurial spirit here, but it was hearing from many drivers and riders, and as a result, mounting a program that reflected the people that were driving with Uber,” said Michael Amodeo, a spokesman for Uber in Southern California. “Uber entrepreneur is for small business owners who are pursuing their passions while also driving for Uber to support their endeavors,” he said.
According to Amodeo, dozens of drivers have been certified as entrepreneurs in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, which will serve as testing grounds for the initiative.