Latest news with #VivekanandaHallekere
Time of India
15-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Another ride option for gig workers, office-goers in Bengaluru
Bengaluru: The city's gig workers, who often juggle long distances and tight delivery windows, have got another ride option. After a three-year hiatus, Bounce is back with a revamped scooter rental model that's being positioned as a no-frills mobility option — particularly for those working in delivery and other informal sectors. Rebranded as Bounce Daily, the service no longer offers the old dockless format, where riders can pick up and drop scooters anywhere in the city. Instead, it now operates through six designated hubs — Banaswadi, Hoodi, Yelahanka, HSR Layout, JP Nagar and RR Nagar — from where scooters can be rented for periods ranging from three days to an entire month, and must be returned to the same location. Bounce CEO Vivekananda Hallekere said: "Our first target is gig workers and office-goers. This is a practical solution for people who rely on two-wheelers for their livelihood." You Can Also Check: Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru Of its 3,000-scooter fleet, 2,300 are in Bengaluru. Pricing starts at Rs 230-250 per day for longer rentals and goes up to around Rs 285 for short durations. Each scooter is manufactured by Bounce and features tamper-proof batteries, location tracking and insurance cover — designed to deter misuse and improve reliability. Before Covid-19, the company offered dockless mobility, operating nearly 30,000 scooters and catering to over 1.2 lakh riders daily in the city. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Esta nueva alarma con cámara es casi regalada en Buenos Aires (ver precio) Verisure Más información Undo But it suffered from misuse, illegal parking and operational chaos. Post-pandemic, it is taking a more structured approach. "We're not ruling out the old "pick anywhere, drop anywhere model". But it will come back only with stronger user checks, better tech, and perhaps, a community-led referral system," Hallekere pointed out. The company is also exploring integration with dark stores of food and quick-commerce companies, offering doorstep rentals for gig workers. Bounce's electric shift positions it differently from competitors — it's now a battery-swapping, insured and fully electric rental service.
Time of India
06-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Gig workers in Bengaluru get another ride option
BENGALURU: For Bengaluru's gig workers, who often juggle long distances and tight delivery windows, reliable transport is everything. Now, after a three-year hiatus, Bounce is back with a revamped scooter rental model that's being positioned as a no-frills mobility option — particularly for those working in delivery and other informal sectors. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Rebranded as Bounce Daily, the service no longer offers its old dockless format, where riders could pick up and drop scooters anywhere in the city. Instead, it now operates through six designated hubs — Banaswadi, Hoodi, Yelahanka, HSR Layout, JP Nagar and RR Nagar — from which scooters can be rented for periods ranging from three days to a full month, and must be returned to the same location. Speaking to TOI, CEO Vivekananda Hallekere said: 'Our first target with rentals is the gig workers and office goers. This is a practical solution for people who rely on two-wheelers for their livelihood.' Of its total fleet of 3,000 scooters, 2,300 are in Bengaluru. Pricing starts at Rs 230–250 per day for longer rentals and goes up to around Rs 285 for short durations. Each scooter is a Bounce Infinity EV, manufactured by the company and features tamper-proof batteries, location tracking, and insurance cover—features designed to deter misuse and improve vehicle reliability. Insured Battery Vehicle Before the pandemic, Bounce was a pioneer of dockless mobility, operating nearly 30,000 scooters and moving over 1.2 lakh riders daily in Bengaluru alone. But its free-form model suffered from misuse, illegal parking, and operational chaos — vulnerabilities that Covid-19 ultimately exposed. Post-pandemic, Bounce is taking a more structured approach. 'We're not ruling out the old 'pick anywhere, drop anywhere' model. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now But it will come back only with stronger user checks, better tech, and perhaps, a community-led referral system,' Hallekere said. The company is also exploring integration with dark stores of food and quick-commerce companies, offering doorstep rentals for gig workers. And outside metros, it aims to partner with local entrepreneurs to bring mobility solutions to underserved district headquarters. Bounce's electric shift also positions it differently from competitors — it's now a battery-swapping, insured, fully electric rental service. Hallekere says this addresses one of the biggest gaps for gig workers: lack of insurance and vehicle security. At its peak, Bounce deployed over 1 lakh helmets in a year. Despite shutting down for three years, many helmets remained in circulation. Some were returned by loyal users, with stories of Ayudha Puja and emotional attachment reflecting the brand's unexpected cultural imprint.
Fashion Network
04-06-2025
- Business
- Fashion Network
Gully Labs raises Rs 8.7 crore in seed funding round
Gully Labs, a New Delhi-based sneaker brand has raised Rs 8.7 crore ($1 million) in seed funding round comprising of Rs 7.6 crore in equity and Rs 1.1 crore in venture debt. The funding round was led by Zeropearl VC, with participation from Stride Ventures and angel investors such as Vivekananda Hallekere, Suhasini Sampath, Nishchay AG, Ashutosh Valani among others. Gully Labs will use the funding to diversify its product mix, boost production, scale up its sales channels, and establish physical retail stores. Commenting on the funding, Arjun Singh and Animesh Mishra, founders of Gully Labs in a statement said, 'This round is a big step forward for us. We believe Indian stories deserve a global stage — not just in film and art, but in what people wear every day. With this support, we'll bring more culturally rooted, design-led sneakers to India and beyond.' Bipin Shah, founder at Zeropearl VC added, 'Gully Labs is exactly the kind of brand our Indi luxe thesis champions — proudly Indian, product-obsessed, and globally aspirational. We're excited to help them take Indian craftsmanship to the world.' Founded in 2023, Gully Labs currently retails through its website and select retail partners. With this investment, the brand Gully plans to go omnichannel with exclusive branded outlets.
Entrepreneur
03-06-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Sneaker brand Gully Labs Bags INR 8.7 Cr Funding to Fuel Expansion
The freshly raised capital will be used to diversify Gully Labs' product mix, scale up its sales channels, and establish physical retail stores. The company also plans to expand production capacity and grow its footprint across India and globally. You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. Gully Labs, a New Delhi-based sneaker brand, has raised INR 8.7 crore in seed funding — comprising INR 7.6 crore in equity and INR 1.1 crore in venture debt. The equity round was led by Zeropearl VC, with participation from marquee founders and angel investors such as Vivekananda Hallekere (Bounce), Suhasini Sampath (Yogabar), Nishchay AG (Jar), Ashutosh Valani (Renee Cosmetics), and more. Stride Ventures led the debt investment. The freshly raised capital will be used to diversify Gully Labs' product mix, scale up its sales channels, and establish physical retail stores. The company also plans to expand production capacity and grow its footprint across India and globally. Founded in 2023 by Arjun Singh and Animesh Mishra — engineers-turned-entrepreneurs — Gully Labs was built on a mission to reimagine premium sneakers through the lens of Indian culture. Its offerings blend heritage with high-fashion: think Phulkari-embroidered trainers, Onam-inspired silhouettes, and sneakers rooted in regional craft traditions. Currently available through its website and select retail partners, Gully Labs now plans to go omnichannel with exclusive branded outlets. "This round is a big step forward for us," said co-founders Singh and Mishra. "We believe Indian stories deserve a global stage — not just in film and art, but in what people wear every day. With this support, we'll bring more culturally rooted, design-led sneakers to India and beyond." Bipin Shah, Founder and Managing Partner at Zeropearl VC, commented, "Gully Labs is exactly the kind of brand our Indiluxe thesis champions — proudly Indian, product-obsessed, and globally aspirational. We're excited to help them take Indian craftsmanship to the world." As Gully Labs enters its next phase, it aims to make Indian design a global trend — one sneaker at a time.
