Latest news with #AravindSanka
Time of India
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Rapido Surpasses Uber in India's Ride-Hailing Market with Innovative Motorcycle Taxi Model, ET Infra
Advt Advt By , ETInfra In a major shake-up of India's ride-hailing industry, homegrown startup Rapido is outpacing global giants like Uber and Ola in user growth, while also achieving profitability — a rare feat in the in 2015 and headquartered in Bengaluru, Rapido has revolutionised urban mobility in India with its low-cost motorcycle taxis and innovative pricing structure. In 2023, the company clocked more app downloads than Uber (21 million) and Ola (19 million), with 33 million installs, according to data analytics firm startup's distinctive revenue model charges riders as little as ₹20 per trip while allowing drivers to access its platform via a nominal daily subscription — as low as ₹9 — instead of taking a commission per ride. This diverges sharply from the traditional models used by Uber and Ola, who have since introduced similar pricing options for some drivers.'Our business model is built for India — where two-wheelers are the most accessible and widely owned vehicles,' said co-founder Pavan Guntupalli. 'Even in small villages, you'll find a farmer's son with a bike.'Rapido now averages 4.3 million rides per day across motorbikes, autos, and cars — about triple Ola's volume and 40 per cent higher than Uber's, the company claims. This growth has allowed Rapido to reach profitability and fuel its ambition to expand beyond the 250 cities it currently serves, with a potential public listing on the by $200 million in funding from WestBridge Capital, Nexus Venture Partners, and Prosus, Rapido was last valued at $1.1 billion. Yet, regulatory roadblocks remain. Its bike taxi operations in Karnataka were halted after a court ruling deemed use of personal bikes for commercial services illegal — a ruling now under judicial review. Maharashtra has also imposed bans on non-electric bike the GST implications of zero-commission models are yet to be fully these hurdles, Rapido is doubling down on customer-centric features, including female-only ride options and safety enhancements like seatbelts in auto rickshaws. 'We're building for Indians, by Indians,' said co-founder Aravind Sanka, underscoring the company's hyper-local Uber declaring India one of its most strategic markets and launching new features to woo price-conscious consumers, the ride-hailing battle is far from over. But for now, Rapido appears to have taken the lead — and on two wheels.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Rapido overtakes Uber in India ride-hailing race with profitable, disruptive model
In a major shake-up of India's ride-hailing industry , homegrown startup Rapido is outpacing global giants like Uber and Ola in user growth, while also achieving profitability — a rare feat in the sector. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Bengaluru, Rapido has revolutionised urban mobility in India with its low-cost motorcycle taxis and innovative pricing structure. In 2023, the company clocked more app downloads than Uber (21 million) and Ola (19 million), with 33 million installs, according to data analytics firm Appfigures. The startup's distinctive revenue model charges riders as little as ₹20 per trip while allowing drivers to access its platform via a nominal daily subscription — as low as ₹9 — instead of taking a commission per ride. This diverges sharply from the traditional models used by Uber and Ola, who have since introduced similar pricing options for some drivers. 'Our business model is built for India — where two-wheelers are the most accessible and widely owned vehicles,' said co-founder Pavan Guntupalli. 'Even in small villages, you'll find a farmer's son with a bike.' Rapido now averages 4.3 million rides per day across motorbikes, autos, and cars — about triple Ola's volume and 40 per cent higher than Uber's, the company claims. This growth has allowed Rapido to reach profitability and fuel its ambition to expand beyond the 250 cities it currently serves, with a potential public listing on the horizon. Backed by $200 million in funding from WestBridge Capital, Nexus Venture Partners, and Prosus, Rapido was last valued at $1.1 billion. Yet, regulatory roadblocks remain. Its bike taxi operations in Karnataka were halted after a court ruling deemed use of personal bikes for commercial services illegal — a ruling now under judicial review. Maharashtra has also imposed bans on non-electric bike taxis. Additionally, the GST implications of zero-commission models are yet to be fully clarified. Despite these hurdles, Rapido is doubling down on customer-centric features, including female-only ride options and safety enhancements like seatbelts in auto rickshaws. 'We're building for Indians, by Indians,' said co-founder Aravind Sanka, underscoring the company's hyper-local approach. With Uber declaring India one of its most strategic markets and launching new features to woo price-conscious consumers, the ride-hailing battle is far from over. But for now, Rapido appears to have taken the lead — and on two wheels.
Mint
25-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
Rapido sharpens focus on Delhi, partners ONDC for metro-ride integration
Ride-hailing platform Rapido is sharpening its focus on Delhi, which has become its largest market across India. The company is now partnering with open e-commerce network ONDC to deepen integration with public transport systems. 'Delhi is our largest market. Every day, over 8 lakh customers use Rapido in Delhi alone," said Aravind Sanka, chief executive and co-founder of Rapido. He added that a growing chunk—over 1 lakh daily riders—use the platform specifically to travel to and from metro stations. The integration with Open Network for Digital Commerce allows Rapido users to book Delhi Metro tickets directly within the app. It aims for first-and last-mile connectivity, letting commuters use a single platform for both bike rides and metro travel. Users can plan, book, and pay for multiple legs of a commute in one place, making it a bundled user experience. Metro ticketing is already live via ONDC in cities like Delhi, Kochi, and Chennai, with Bangalore and multiple Mumbai metro lines set to go live soon. 'We're excited about Rapido enabling those lines as well," said Vibhor Jain, chief executive of ONDC. 'Beyond metros, we're looking at mobility holistically, and bus ticketing is a big part of that journey. I'm sure Rapido will be live with that soon too." Rapido isn't the only company aligning with ONDC's vision of open mobility. Namma Yatri was the first to fully integrate with ONDC and introduced the SaaS model that dominant players like Uber, Ola have since adopted. In a previous interview with Mint, the company stated that it is now looking to expand into northern India while also piloting services in adjacent verticals such as ambulance and shuttle transport. Meanwhile, Rapido is also exploring adjacent categories, like food delivery to diversify its offerings and compete with Swiggy and Zomato. However, the company has faced major regulatory setbacks in Karnataka, where a blanket ban on bike taxis disrupted one of its largest markets. This has not only impacted its user base but also dealt a blow to one of its core revenue streams. Uber too partnered with ONDC to offer metro ticket booking, starting with Delhi Metro integration directly within its app, marking Uber's entry into public transport via the open network. The company also plans to expand metro ticketing to three more cities and explore B2B logistics services through ONDC.
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Business Standard
25-06-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Rapido offers metro ticketing in Delhi, sells 10K tickets per day
Ride-hailing platform Rapido on Wednesday announced that commuters can now book metro tickets directly on its platform. The company has entered into a strategic partnership with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC). The service was launched in April this year on a pilot basis and has recorded an average of 10,000 tickets being booked per day. As part of the partnership, Rapido co-founder Aravind Sanka said the platform will also offer fixed-fare rides to and from metro stations at Rs 25. Additionally, it will provide the first bike ride to the metro station and the first-ever metro ticket booked on its platform free of charge. Beyond ticketing, Rapido and DMRC have jointly introduced a series of commuter-focused initiatives aimed at enhancing the daily transit experience. These include discounts on metro tickets, designated pick-up and drop-off points at select metro stations, and dedicated pick-up zones for women to promote safer access at high-traffic stations. Commenting on the development, Sanka said, 'We are grateful to the DMRC and ONDC for their support and vision in enabling this landmark integration. This collaboration marks a significant step in our commitment to enhancing urban mobility and simplifying access to public transport for millions in the Delhi NCR region. We believe this initiative will meaningfully impact the daily commute experience by offering a seamless, safe and affordable first and last-mile solution.' Earlier, Uber also announced a partnership with the government-backed ONDC platform to allow users to book metro train tickets in the national capital. The ride-hailing firm plans to expand the metro ticketing service to three additional cities by the end of the current calendar year.
News18
09-06-2025
- Business
- News18
Food Delivery Race Heats Up With Rapido's Entry; Zomato, Swiggy Shares Fall
Last Updated: Shares of Swiggy and Eternal (Zomato) took a hit on Monday as the race heated up. The ride-hailing company Rapido is now foraying into food delivery business to challenge the established and big players, including Eternal (Zomato) and Swiggy. Aiming to lure customers, Rapido will offer 8-15% flat rate commission to restaurants as compared to Swiggy and Zomato which charge commissions between 15-30%, according to CNBC-TV18 report. The pilot service for food delivery will commence in Bengaluru by June-end. The company has started onboarding restaurants. As per CNBC-TV 18 report, the company offer flat commission rate of Rs 25 on orders worth Rs 400 & below and Rs 50 for orders above Rs 400 (8-15% Commission). Moreover, as per report, the company has asked restaurants to offer items at Rs 150 to encourage more orders. However, these discounts are limited, as agreed upon with restaurants. Consumers will be able to place orders via the Rapido app, where restaurants will be listed, potentially giving smaller establishments an alternative to the high-cost models of the larger players. Shares of Swiggy and Eternal (Zomato) took a hit on Monday as the race heated up. Eternal (Zomato) and Swiggy shares fell over 2 per cent following the entry of Rapido in food delivery segment. Zomato shares settled 1.86 per cent lower at Rs 256.99 apiece, against the previous day close at Rs 261.86 apiece. The stock's day's high and low remained at Rs 262.98 and Rs 255.35, respectively. Swiggy shares, meanwhile, fell 2.79 per cent to close at Rs 364 apiece. It earlier opened at Rs 376 apiece, against the previous day close at Rs 374.45 apiece. Founded in 2015 in Bengaluru as 'theKarrier," by Aravind Sanka, Pavan Guntupalli, and Rishikesh SR. Operates as a bike‑taxi aggregator, later expanding to auto‑rickshaw and cab hailing, parcel delivery, and last‑mile logistics. It is now operating in over 100 cities. Tt recorded Rs 695 Cr revenue for FY 24, though with a net loss of around Rs 371 Cr. First Published: June 09, 2025, 15:54 IST
