EY Announces Armir Harris as Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2023 Gulf South Award Winner

June 16, 2023 (Austin, TX) – Ernst & Young LLP (EY) announced today that Armir Harris, CEO and founder of CharterUP, has been named a winner of the Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2023 Gulf South Award. Entrepreneur Of The Year is the world’s most prestigious business awards program for unstoppable entrepreneurs and leaders of high-growth companies. The award celebrates visionary leaders who deliver innovation, growth and prosperity that transform our world.

Harris was selected for the award by an independent panel of judges tasked with evaluating candidates based on their entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, growth and impact, among other core contributions and attributes.

The accolade shines a spotlight on Harris’s exceptional leadership throughout his entrepreneurial journey, which has propelled CharterUP to become the premier charter bus marketplace for corporations, consumers and operators. Harris founded CharterUP in 2018 to revolutionize an industry that had remained stagnant for three decades by introducing a model of transparency, accountability and accessibility.

Under Harris’s guidance and commitment to innovation, CharterUP bootstrapped its way to a $150 million run rate revenue in 2022. The company is now in a stage of hypergrowth, supported by a $60 million Series A round announced in October.

“The Gulf South is a fast-growing tech region filled with hard-working and creative individuals, and it is a privilege to be recognized as part of this dynamic business community,” Harris said. “This honor reflects not only my efforts, but also the unwavering dedication and hard work of the entire CharterUP team. Together, we have been driven by our shared passion for creating a better future for group travel, and this recognition is a testament to our collective commitment to innovation.”

Winners were announced June 15 during a reception honoring the 45 Gulf South regional finalists. As a Gulf South winner, Harris is now eligible for the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Awards, presented in November at the annual Strategic Growth Forum®.

The Entrepreneur Of The Year program has recognized more than 11,000 entrepreneurs throughout the US since its inception in 1986, and it has grown to recognize business leaders across 145 cities in over 60 countries around the world.

About CharterUP

CharterUP is the first fully integrated marketplace for bus charters in the U.S. Built for corporations, individual users, and operators; its platform removes the friction from reserving private group transportation by instantly connecting bookers to a virtual fleet of local bus operators. Its platform features a suite of capabilities that includes instant booking, real-time availability & tracking, and dynamic pricing via self-serve technology. Combined with its growing virtual fleet of over 4,000 fully integrated charters, CharterUP delivers unmatched accessibility, accountability, and transparency never seen before in the charter bus space. Founded by long-time charter bus entrepreneur Armir Harris in 2018, CharterUP is headquartered in Austin and Atlanta, and works with operators in dozens of local markets nationwide. For more information, visit charterup.com.

About Entrepreneur Of The Year®

Entrepreneur Of The Year is the world’s most prestigious business awards program for unstoppable entrepreneurs. These visionary leaders deliver innovation, growth and prosperity that transform our world. The program engages entrepreneurs with insights and experiences that foster growth. It connects them with their peers to strengthen entrepreneurship around the world. Entrepreneur Of The Year is the first and only truly global awards program of its kind. It celebrates entrepreneurs through regional and national awards programs in more than 145 cities in over 60 countries. National overall winners go on to compete for the title. Visit ey.com/us/eoy.

Contact Information

Natalie Bartels

Media Contact

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