Deliveroo has backed a former rider’s business trying to combat bike theft in London as part of its annual ‘Big Pitch’ event.
The Big Pitch has been run by Deliveroo since 2020, giving its riders who have founded a business the opportunity to pitch for an equity-free grant.
This year’s winners included Hudjo, an app describing itself as the “Airbnb for bike parking” for its work connecting cyclists with businesses offering secure parking in urban areas.
Since launching a year ago, Hudjo has launched 42 partnerships with local businesses across London and brought nearly 1,000 cyclists on to its platform.
Its goal is to have a Hudjo parking location in every neighbourhood in London by the end of 2025.
Hudjo was created by former Deliveroo rider Charlie FitzRoy, along with David Gamble and Demezhan Marikov. It started after two of its co-founders had their bikes stolen while working as Deliveroo riders. Around 20,000 bikes are reported stolen every year across London, an average of 50 per day, according to analysis from the Clean Cities Campaign.
The other winners of the Big Pitch were Deaf Animation World and Riches Tailoring. The three business will receive a collective prize of £40,000.
Deaf Animation World is a “trailblazing business” bringing inclusivity to the heart of learning, said Deliveroo, producing educational animations that integrate British Sign Language (BSL) to bridge the communication gap between deaf and hearing people.
Riches Tailoring specialises in bespoke African menswear. It was inspired by founder Peaches Osibamowo’s struggles to source reliable tailors and fabrics for traditional Nigerian wedding attire in the UK.
“We’re committed to supporting entrepreneurialism and empowering riders to innovate – that’s why we started the Big Pitch,” said Camilla Kater, SVP of care and rider at Deliveroo.
“Hudjo, Deaf Animation World and Riches Tailoring all embody that spirit with their inspiring ventures – providing innovative business solutions to everyday issues in London and beyond.”
The latest competition attracted more than 2,000 rider applicants and was judged by a panel including Deliveroo’s co-founder and CEO Will Shu and Jessica Markowski, its regional director for London.
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