Vamshi Reddy’s Post

#KalaariAMA: Riding with Rapido 🚀 Continuous learning is a key value at Kalaari Capital. For the #KalaariAMA, we welcome guest speakers to share insights with the Kalaari Team. Vamshi Reddy, Partner, Kalaari Capital, hosted Aravind Sanka, Co-Founder, Rapido, for an insightful conversation. A 2012 IIT Bhubaneswar graduate, Aravind joined Flipkart's logistics team at Ekart straight after graduation. He played a pivotal role in expanding Ekart's delivery operations from 10 cities to 100. Observing inefficiencies in the transportation sector, especially with two-wheelers, he envisioned a more efficient logistics solution. He co-founded Rapido, India's leading bike taxi service, in 2015. With an expanded offering that includes auto rickshaw and cab hailing, Rapido has become a major player in urban mobility, offering quick, cost-effective rides and creating millions of jobs nationwide. During the #KalaariAMA, Aravind spoke about how Rapido scaled to a 6000 crore intra-city mobility powerhouse. Here are the highlights: 🏍️ Supply-First Approach: Rapido was built with a supply-first mindset, designing products for captains. Before ride-hailing apps, auto drivers stuck to familiar areas. Rapido turned this into a feature. Now, captains can set their preferred areas and routes in the app, making their work more efficient and enjoyable. This effective tweak showed how deeply Rapido understood and valued its captains' preferences.  💸 Zero-Commission Model: To tackle the challenge of moving captains from offline to online, Rapido ditched high commissions for a subscription model. Captains now pay a small daily fee for access to unlimited rides, which has proven to be a game-changer.  🔑Single Pin Concept: Simplifying the user experience was a core tenet for the Rapido team. Given the high frequency for bike hailers, Rapido introduced a single pin for riders. This significant innovation made hailing rides as easy as using an ATM and set Rapido apart from the competition.  📈Rider-led Surge Pricing: Aravind also addressed reliability, a key issue for ride-hailing in India. They introduced a feature allowing users to set higher prices for a better chance of getting a ride. This not only improved service but also directly benefited captains. As this #KalaariAMA progressed, it was evident that Rapido’s success lies in deeply understanding and prioritising the needs of both captains and users. Their innovative, user-centric approach charted Rapido’s success in the highly competitive ride-hailing sector. From humble beginnings, Rapido focused on long-term sustainability and strategic innovation, transforming a simple idea into a 6000 crore intra-city mobility powerhouse. Fun Fact: Rapido bike taxi now commands over 80% market share in tier 2/3 cities with a team size a fraction of their competitor’s. We sincerely thank Aravind for sharing his valuable experiences and the Rapido story for the #KalaariAMA. 🚀 #LifeAtKalaari #Rapido #KalaariAMA

Rapido, a bike-taxi service, was founded in 2015 by Aravind Sanka, Pavan Guntupalli, and Rishikesh SR. The trio, inspired by the inefficiencies in urban transportation, realized the need for a faster and more affordable commuting option. Starting with just one bike in Bangalore, their goal was to offer a service that could cut through traffic congestion and provide quick rides at a low cost. Initially, they faced challenges with regulatory issues, convincing customers to ride bikes, and competing with other ride-hailing giants. However, they persisted by targeting smaller cities and focusing on hyperlocal needs where demand for last-mile connectivity was higher. Rapido's unique approach was to onboard everyday bike owners as "captains," allowing them to earn money by giving rides in their spare time. This flexibility attracted a large number of part-time drivers, fueling their rapid growth. They leveraged technology by developing an easy-to-use app, providing real-time tracking and affordable fares, which helped them build a strong customer base. They also focused on customer safety, providing helmets and insurance for both riders and passengers. As Rapido expanded into more cities, they raised significant funding from investors who saw the potential in their business model. Despite regulatory roadblocks, they navigated legal challenges, adapting to different state laws and continuously improving their service. By 2024, Rapido had grown to over 100 cities, with a fleet of millions of bike captains. With over 15 lakh active riders, the company now generates a revenue of 500 crore, making it one of the top bike-taxi services in India. Rapido's success story is a testament to resilience, innovation, and a deep understanding of the urban commuter's needs. #entrepreneurship #pursueyourdreams #takecontrol #buildyourfuture #ecellineverycollege #ecelliitbombay#nec2024 #ecell #ecellineverycollege #nec_ecell_iitbombay #iitbombay

👨💻Meet the "Man who bluilt 🇮🇳 India's largest 2 🏍️wheelers online taxi service company after getting 75 times " ⏩ Pavan Guntupalli had been brilliant right from the start. He learnt computer programming trading in childhood and got an electrical engineering seat at the prestigious IIT Kharagpur. Pavan wanted to start something of his own. 🙌 ⏩ He started in payments when IMPS service came, but the idea failed within nine months. Post college, he developed software at Samsung, but Pavan always looked for ideas. Teaming up with his IIT friend - Aravind Sanka Sridhar, He picked up intracity logistics delivery through mini trucks by launching "theKarrier" in April 2014. But Pavan failed again. 👇 ⏩ Trucking required heavy capital expenditures. Moreover, going directly to the customer had more margins. Pavan had an idea to do it through bikes. He took his two IIT and PESU college friends for one final ride. In November 2014, Rapido was born. 🚀 ⏩ At the time, Uber and Ola dominated with car taxis, and bike taxis had no regulations. Pavan started in Bangalore with a base fare of Rs 15 and Rs 3 for every additional kilometre. But challenges came again for Pavan. 👇 ⏩ Both Uber and Ola introduced bike taxis within a month of their launch. Almost 75 investors rejected them as they didn't think Rapido had a first-mover advantage. It was three years, and Pavan had no believers. He focused on providing rides for people with no bike and secondary income for people with bikes, and then magic happened. 🪄 ⏩ In April 2016, Rapido found early believers in Pawan Munjal (Hero MotoCorp), AdvantEdge partners and others. It expanded to a fleet of 400 bikes across Bangalore, Delhi and Gurgaon. Rapido tripled from 5000 in January 2016 to 150,000 users in December 2016. 📉 ⏩ Pavan called his drivers "captains" and utilised their existing vehicles as their riding fleet. He also gave them an 80% instant withdrawal commission, safety ride monitoring software and a formal employment contract even while working part-time. By March 2018, Rapido scaled to 50,000 captains and 700,000 app users. ✅ ⏩ By January 2019, Rapido touched 70,000 trips daily at an average ride value of Rs 50. Seeing the growth, it raised 150 CR from Integrated Capital Growth and Nexus venture partners. As Rapido scaled to 12 cities by August, it received 391 CR led by West Bridge Capital. 💰 ⏩ By October 2020, Rapido launched auto rides at a meter price. Within just five months of launch, it completed 10 lakh rides. Even Uber and Ola could not match their speed. As Rapido scaled to 15 million users and 1.5 million captains, it raised 384 CR from the Japanese Motor Giant - Yamaha. 💰 ➡️Today, Rapido has over 50 million app users in 100 cities. Last year, it raised 1370 CR led by Swiggy and became a 6700 CR company. #casestudy #rapido #realbharat #branding #growth #mindset #madeinindia #brandbluidling #heartwork #taxi Disclaimer : This case study post 3024 is only for educational purpose

🚗🌍 Transforming Travel with Go Pool App! 🌍🚗 Two months ago, while exploring carpooling apps, I received an unexpected call from Mr. Akash Jadhav, the founder of GoPool. He reached out to gather my feedback on the app, and our conversation left me truly impressed with what Go Pool has to offer. Founded in 2023 by Akash Jadhav, Go Pool is revolutionizing expensive airport rides by turning them into budget-friendly carpools. How does it work? 🤔 Go Pool enables passengers to find co-travelers for their cab trips on platforms like Ola, Uber, and others, without involving the cab aggregators directly. Designed specifically for airport trips, this feature lets users split the journey cost among fellow passengers, making travel more affordable. In cities like Bengaluru, where cab services are pricey and buses can be inconvenient, Go Pool is a game-changer. It allows users to schedule trips in advance, displaying a list of fellow travelers and sending relevant notifications. Currently operational in multiple cities across India, including Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Goa, and Pune, Go Pool boasts over 25,000 satisfied users. Many of my friends, who moved to Hyderabad and Bengaluru for summer internships, have found Go Pool incredibly helpful and thanked me for introducing them to it! A big shoutout, thanks, and congratulations to Akash Jadhav for creating such an innovative solution. Wishing you all the best, Akash, and I hope Go Pool continues to help travellers find pocket-friendly ways to navigate the city and airports! #Innovation #CarPooling #Startup #GoPool #AffordableTravel #TravelSmart #AirportRides #TravelTech #Bengaluru #Hyderabad #Goa #Pune #Entrepreneurship #CustomerFeedback

India’s top ride-hailing startup, Uber launched ‘Moto Women’ on Thursday in Bengaluru offering women-only bike rides, a first in India. Though this service has been introduced in the start-up capital of the country, Uber eyes a pan-India expansion scaling it up in other top cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, and Hyderabad. ‘Uber Moto Women’ is an on-demand two-wheeler ride service that connects women riders with women drivers for the safety and mobility of modern-age women. To secure passenger safety, the company has integrated real-time trip sharing with up to five trusted contacts, along with phone number anonymization, and RideCheck – a system that monitors route deviations and unexpected stops. Additionally, a dedicated 24×7 safety helpline will provide priority support for women users. Presently, bike taxis have turned out to be one of the fastest-growing transport options in urban India. Bengaluru is the key market, generating more than 1 million monthly bike taxi rides. ‘Uber Moto Women’ aims to be a safe, affordable, and convenient commute option for city women. Abhishek Padhye, Head of Regional Business Operations, Uber India and South Asia said, “For Uber, this is a global-first initiative. We don’t have such women-only products anywhere else in the world. We started with Bengaluru, as it is the largest market for bike-taxis. The city sees 5 million bike-taxi trips across all the platforms per month and this serves about a million riders and 100,000 drivers.” [Source: Business Standard] He further added, “Last mile transportation is in huge short supply in Bengaluru. What we realised is that 30 percent of our women riders were already taking bike-taxis. With Uber Moto Women, we’re not just offering a safer and more convenient ride option for women, but also empowering female drivers with the opportunity to earn flexibly in one of India’s fastest-growing mobility segments.” #startuppedia #startup #uber #womenrider #amconews Uber Uber for Business #uber #abhishekpadhye

Breaking Barriers with Uber Moto Woman: A Step Forward for Women’s Safety- I truly appreciate Uber’s initiative to launch Moto Woman, a women-only bike taxi service in Bangalore. It’s a significant step towards empowering women and prioritizing their safety while providing more inclusive transportation options. However, this also raises an important question: What measures are being taken to ensure the safety of women drivers? As much as this initiative focuses on passengers, the safety and security of women drivers should also be a top priority. I hope Uber continues to build on this initiative by introducing robust safety measures and support systems for drivers, ensuring it’s a win-win for all women involved. Looking forward to seeing how this service evolves and inspires more such changes across industries. #womensafety #WomenEmpowerment #WomenSafety #InclusiveTransportation #UberMotoWoman #SafetyFirst #GenderEquality #WomenInTransport #EmpowerChange #BangaloreUpdates #SocialImpact #BreakingBarriers #WomenDrivers

India’s top ride-hailing startup, Uber launched ‘Moto Women’ on Thursday in Bengaluru offering women-only bike rides, a first in India. Though this service has been introduced in the start-up capital of the country, Uber eyes a pan-India expansion scaling it up in other top cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, and Hyderabad. ‘Uber Moto Women’ is an on-demand two-wheeler ride service that connects women riders with women drivers for the safety and mobility of modern-age women. To secure passenger safety, the company has integrated real-time trip sharing with up to five trusted contacts, along with phone number anonymization, and RideCheck – a system that monitors route deviations and unexpected stops. Additionally, a dedicated 24×7 safety helpline will provide priority support for women users. Presently, bike taxis have turned out to be one of the fastest-growing transport options in urban India. Bengaluru is the key market, generating more than 1 million monthly bike taxi rides. ‘Uber Moto Women’ aims to be a safe, affordable, and convenient commute option for city women. Abhishek Padhye, Head of Regional Business Operations, Uber India and South Asia said, “For Uber, this is a global-first initiative. We don’t have such women-only products anywhere else in the world. We started with Bengaluru, as it is the largest market for bike-taxis. The city sees 5 million bike-taxi trips across all the platforms per month and this serves about a million riders and 100,000 drivers.” [Source: Business Standard] He further added, “Last mile transportation is in huge short supply in Bengaluru. What we realised is that 30 percent of our women riders were already taking bike-taxis. With Uber Moto Women, we’re not just offering a safer and more convenient ride option for women, but also empowering female drivers with the opportunity to earn flexibly in one of India’s fastest-growing mobility segments.” #startuppedia #startup #uber #womenrider #startupnews

India’s top ride-hailing startup, Uber launched ‘Moto Women’ on Thursday in Bengaluru offering women-only bike rides, a first in India. Though this service has been introduced in the start-up capital of the country, Uber eyes a pan-India expansion scaling it up in other top cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, and Hyderabad. ‘Uber Moto Women’ is an on-demand two-wheeler ride service that connects women riders with women drivers for the safety and mobility of modern-age women. To secure passenger safety, the company has integrated real-time trip sharing with up to five trusted contacts, along with phone number anonymization, and RideCheck – a system that monitors route deviations and unexpected stops. Additionally, a dedicated 24×7 safety helpline will provide priority support for women users. Presently, bike taxis have turned out to be one of the fastest-growing transport options in urban India. Bengaluru is the key market, generating more than 1 million monthly bike taxi rides. ‘Uber Moto Women’ aims to be a safe, affordable, and convenient commute option for city women. Abhishek Padhye, Head of Regional Business Operations, Uber India and South Asia said, “For Uber, this is a global-first initiative. We don’t have such women-only products anywhere else in the world. We started with Bengaluru, as it is the largest market for bike-taxis. The city sees 5 million bike-taxi trips across all the platforms per month and this serves about a million riders and 100,000 drivers.” [Source: Business Standard] He further added, “Last mile transportation is in huge short supply in Bengaluru. What we realised is that 30 percent of our women riders were already taking bike-taxis. With Uber Moto Women, we’re not just offering a safer and more convenient ride option for women, but also empowering female drivers with the opportunity to earn flexibly in one of India’s fastest-growing mobility segments.” #startuppedia #startup #uber #womenrider #startupnews

Homegrown Ride-Hailing App Namma Yatri Raises $11 Million! Namma Yatri, a Bengaluru-based ride-hauling app, has secured $11 million in funding to fuel its growth! Let's unpack the news: 📌 About Namma Yatri Launched in 2022, Namma Yatri aims to be the "UPI for mobility," offering a transparent, efficient, and sustainable transportation ecosystem. They started with auto rickshaws in Bengaluru and have since expanded to cabs in other Indian cities. This funding will likely make them the first ride-hailing service to pilot auto rentals in India. 📌 The Funding Namma Yatri raised $11 million from investors like Blume Ventures, Antler, and Google. This fresh capital will be used for research and development, product improvements, and enhancing customer experience. 📌 The Strategy Namma Yatri is focusing on innovation and becoming a one-stop shop for mobility solutions, including auto rickshaws, cabs, and potentially rentals in the future. Their focus on transparency and sustainability aligns with the growing demand for ethical businesses. 📌 The Impact This funding could position Namma Yatri as a major competitor to established players like Ola and Uber in the Indian market. It could also encourage more competition in the ride-hailing space, potentially benefiting users with lower fares and more options. The pilot of auto rentals could disrupt the traditional auto market and provide users with more flexibility. #Mobility #India #Funding

New fleet operators in India are trying to differentiate from the incubents Uber / Ola, by having an all electric fleet. Sooorya EV is getting good enquiries from fleet operators - #ridehailing #ridesharing #employeetransport #taxis #shuttleservices… “For the last decade, Uber and Ola have controlled over 70% of the Indian online ride-hailing market. But in the past two years, startups and platforms such as BluSmart, InDrive, Rapido, Namma Yatri, Red Taxi, and Snap E Cabs have tried to wrestle the duopoly and grab market share. While we have written about how BluSmart has scaled up in the past, US-headquartered InDrive is looking to become the second large global player to make inroads in India after Uber. In fact, Uber is already looking to customise its offerings in sync with what InDrive offers. Founded in 2012 in Yakutsk, Russia, InDrive incorporated in the US in 2018, after divesting the Russia business completely. Today the app has a presence in over 749 cities across 46 countries. In 2022 and 2023, it was the second most downloaded ride-hailing app worldwide based on Google Play and App Store data. The high number of downloads can be attributed to the high demand among consumers for alternatives to the ‘Uber + Ola’ duopoly in ride-hailing. At least that is the case in India where a number of platforms have emerged post the pandemic. Part of this wave, InDrive made its India entry in 2022 and has since expanded to 12 Indian cities including Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Lucknow and Ludhiana. What makes InDrive so compelling is its peer-to-peer, fair-price setting model, where passengers and drivers negotiate fares among themselves. It offers ride-hailing, intercity, freight, and delivery services in India, just like many of its competitors, but it is the pricing model which has become a key moat.” “Like Ola, Uber, BluSmart and other players, InDrive also plans to go green soon in India. Mazumder believes that the company will enter the space once charging is not as big a problem as it is today. At the moment, InDrive is looking at ways to solve the charging infrastructure problem and plans to have a significant EV build-up in the near future. But for now, the big question is: does InDrive India have enough fuel in its tank to outpace BluSmart, Rapido and others in the race against Uber India and Ola?” Read more in this Inc42 Media article by Suprita Anupam #electricvehicles #ev #evstartup #india #climatetech #climatefund #climateinvesting