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<ul><li>The Indian government has warned cab aggregators over rising consumer complaints.</li><li>The government is expected to issue guidelines to remove unfair trade practices.</li><li>The government has also asked aggregators to reveal their algorithm and policies for determining price and cancellation charges.</li></ul>The government has come down heavily on cab aggregators like <keyword id="1042120" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="uber" source="Orion">Uber</keyword> and <keyword id="6354720" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ola" source="Orion">Ola</keyword> amid increasing consumer complaints over “unfair trade practices” such as surge pricing, ride cancellation, drivers refusing to turn on the air conditioner and more. According to a <a href="https://zeenews.india.com/auto/indian-govt-directs-ola-uber-to-improve-cab-quality-services-stop-unfair-trade-practice-2462130.html">report</a>, the consumer affairs ministry held a meeting with companies such as Uber, Ola, Rapido, Meru Cabs and Jugnoo and warned the companies of strict action. The main issues under discussion included the surge pricing, frequent cancellation of rides by drivers over trivial issues such as the destination and payment mode, refusal to turn on air conditioners in cabs, different pricing for different users and more. Cab aggregators have announced <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/uber-announces-a-price-hike-of-12-for-cab-rides-in-delhi/articleshow/90793725.cms">price hikes</a> in several cities across the country. One of the reasons announced for the price hike was the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/petrol-and-diesel-prices-hiked-for-the-13th-time-in-15-days/articleshow/90655551.cms">increasing</a> cost of petrol and diesel in the country. Some cab drivers have also been <a href="https://telanganatoday.com/cab-drivers-in-hyderabad-to-charge-extra-for-ac-amid-rising-fuel-prices">refusing</a> to turn on the air conditioner, asking riders to pay an additional amount. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Govt warns about strict action" comment="subhead" text="Govt warns about strict action">Govt warns about strict action</cmsannotation> “We told them (cab aggregators) about the rising consumer complaints against their platforms. We gave them the statistics also. We have asked them to improve their system and redress the consumer complaints otherwise the competent authority will take strict action,” Rohit Kumar Singh, consumer affairs secretary said after the meeting. "The authority is likely to issue an advisory to ensure that unfair trade practices by cab aggregators are not carried on in violation of consumers' rights," said Nidhi Khare, chief commissioner, Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA). "The number of complaints is very high and therefore we have called the cab aggregators for an explanation of their policies," Khare said. “We are engaged with the Department of Consumer Affairs and deeply appreciate the feedback provided by them and will continue to provide our inputs. We strive to be the platform of choice for riders and drivers alike and continue to invest in technology and customer support to deliver an excellent experience for them," Nitish Bhushan, Head of Central Operations, Uber India and South Asia said in a statement to Business Insider India "We are committed to continually raising the bar – for ourselves, our industry, and most importantly for the people who use our services," Bhushan added. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Inflated price for old customers" comment="subhead" text="Inflated price for old customers">Inflated price for old customers</cmsannotation> Another issue that has come under the government’s scanner is surge pricing and differential pricing for old and new customers. "It appears that cab aggregators are using algorithms to lure new customers, putting old customers at a disadvantage. This is an unfair practice," Khare added. As per the regulator, cab aggregators are charging a premium to their existing customers and offering discounts to lure new customers. Differential pricing for the same location has been termed as an “unfair practice” by the regulator. Khare has added that aggregators will be called upon to reveal their algorithms and policies that are used to determine prices, cancellation charges and surge prices. The aggregators have also been asked to reveal the steps taken by them to safeguard customer’s personal data on their platforms. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/ubers-ceo-said-hiring-will-be-treated-as-a-privilege-and-inefficient-incentives-will-be-cut/articleshow/91439331.cms">Uber's CEO said hiring will be treated as a 'privilege' and inefficient incentives will be cut</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/how-a-group-of-youtubers-pranked-a-scam-call-centre-in-india-that-earns-18-million-per-year/articleshow/91463331.cms">Here's how a group of YouTubers pranked a scam call centre in India that makes $18 million per year</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/top-profitable-startups-in-india-in-2021-22-zerodha-zoho-dream-11-and-firstcry-in-the-list/slidelist/91484233.cms">Top 10 profitable startups in India – from Zerodha to Zoho and Firstcry, here’s the list</a>

Indian government accuses Ola, Uber and other aggregators of inflating cab prices for older customers

<keyword id="1042120" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="uber" source="Orion">Uber</keyword> on Thursday refuted a report that claimed the ride-hailing major planned to exit the Indian market and held discussions with potential buyers to sell its India business. Bloomberg reported that the US-based company explored selling the India business, but "suspended discussions after tech startup valuations cratered." In a statement shared with IANS, an Uber spokesperson said the company never explored exiting India -- not even for a minute -- and the report is "categorically false." "India is as important to Uber today as it was when we launched nine years ago. We are serving riders and drivers across more than 100 cities, hiring Indian talent aggressively, and planning for the next decade and beyond," the company spokesperson said. Uber competes with SoftBank-backed <keyword id="6354720" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ola" source="Orion">Ola</keyword> in the country. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said in April that it will expand its product offerings and its team in India. "We continue to expand the product offerings for the Indian consumer. Whether it is autos, motos or high-capacity vehicles or rentals, India has always been a very big part of the Uber journey," he said during the Virtual i3 summit organised by Times Bridge. Uber aims to expand its engineering talent in India to more than 1,000 people from 700 at present, he had announced. Last month, <keyword id="2502101" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="uber-india" source="Orion">Uber India</keyword>'s Director of Central Operations, Nitish Bhushan, said that they are "always striving to make driving with Uber a viable and attractive option for drivers and the recent hike in fares will directly boost their earnings per trip". To remove frustration for riders and drivers alike, the company is also showing trip destinations to drivers before they decide to accept the ride. "Drivers at the Uber advisory council meeting told us they would like more flexibility around payments. We are now showing drivers the mode of payment (cash or online) before the trip starts," the company said. To make the cash or online decision irrelevant, the company has also introduced a daily pay process for drivers. With these changes, the company said that they are also reinforcing their service quality expectations with drivers, especially in areas like cancellation and ensuring AC rides. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/most-underprivileged-women-are-keen-to-start-businesses-but-lack-skills-and-financial-know-how/articleshow/92411578.cms">Most underprivileged women are keen to start businesses but lack skills and financial know-how</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/tata-consumer-sees-growth-on-the-back-of-starbucks-tea-and-salt/articleshow/92410036.cms">Tata Consumer sees growth on the back of Starbucks, tea and salt</a>

Uber dismisses report that said it's planning to sell off its India business

<ul><li><keyword id="4393078" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ola-Electric">Ola Electric</keyword> raised $250 million from Softbank to enter the unicorn club. </li><li>The subsidiary company of ride hailing unicorn Ola had earlier raised funds from <keyword id="6360722" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="ratan-tata">Ratan Tata</keyword>, Arun Sarin, Tiger Global, Matrix India and others. </li><li>Interestingly, all of these investors have also placed their bets on Ola.</li></ul>Ola Electric has become India’s latest unicorn after it raised $250 million from Softbank, according to filings sourced by paper.vc. Ola Electric Mobility , a subsidiary of the ride hailing unicorn Ola, has been in the news of late as India powers up its Electric Vehicle mission. In May, Ola Electric also raised funds from Arun Sarin, former Vodafone Group CEO and also from the Chairman Emeritus of Tata Group, Ratan Tata. In March, it had raised ₹4 billion from Ola’s existing and early investors – Tiger Global and Matrix India. Interestingly, most of the investors in Ola Electric are its parent company’s investors – from Softbank to Arun Sarin, Ratan Tata and even Tiger Global and Matrix India. “India can leapfrog problems of pollution and energy security by moving to electric mobility, create millions of new jobs and economic opportunity, and lead the world,” Bhavish Aggarwal, Co-founder &amp; CEO, Ola had said in March. Through Ola Electric, the company partnered with several equipment manufacturers and battery manufacturers, while looking to work with the automotive industry for solutions for electric vehicles. Ola had also recently announced its technology centre in the Bay Area, where it’s hiring over 150 engineers to develop next-generation technologies in mobility. See Also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/ratan-tata-invests-in-ola-electric-mobility/articleshow/69199801.cms">Ratan Tata recharges Ola’s electric mobility wing – invests an undisclosed amount</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/ola-takes-on-mahindra-glyd-with-fresh-funds-wheres-uber/articleshow/68214440.cms">Ola gets fresh funds to take on Mahindra’s Glyd – where’s Uber?</a>

Ola’s investors back its electric company – Ola Electric – welcome it to the unicorn club

<ul><li>Indian ride-hailing unicorn Ola has expanded its operations in the UK. </li><li>Ola is now present in 7 cities in the UK. </li><li>The company is not launching auto-rickshaws in the UK, had only used them in Liverpool for a promotional campaign last week.</li></ul>Indian cab aggregator Ola has expanded its operations in the United Kingdom and has launched services in three new cities in the UK – Liverpool, Birmingham and Reading. This takes Ola’s presence to a total of seven cities in the UK. Local councils in the UK have granted the platform with Taxi and Private Hire licenses. The company said that Ola is the only app in the UK that offers both black cabs and Private Hire Vehicles while also giving drivers highest share of the revenue – charging just 10% commission to black cabs and 15% to PHVs. “Thanks to the positive word-of-mouth from both driver-partners and passengers who experienced our offerings in Cardiff, Bristol, Bath, and Exeter, we received requests from users across the UK to introduce the Ola platform in their cities,” said Ben Legg, Managing Director of <keyword id="6775956" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ola-UK">Ola UK</keyword>. Photos of Ola’s tuk tuks spotted Liverpool had become a talking point in social media. However, the company said that it has not launched auto rickshaws in the UK. The auto rickshaws were a part of the promotional campaign where it offered customers free rides on green tuk-tuks last week. Over the next seven months, Ola plans to expand its operations to North England and the Midlands. The Indian ride-hailing unicorn had already made its presence felt in Australia and New Zealand before moving to the European markets. See Also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/ola-will-race-zoomcar-in-self-drive-car-rentals-with-a-500-million-bet/articleshow/68614269.cms">Ola will race Zoomcar in self-drive car rentals with a $500 million bet</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/ola-takes-on-mahindra-glyd-with-fresh-funds-wheres-uber/articleshow/68214440.cms">Ola gets fresh funds to take on Mahindra’s Glyd – where’s Uber?</a>

Ola onboards 3 more cities in the UK, uses tuk-tuks only for promotion

<ul><li>SoftBank is investing $400 million into babycare startup FirstCry. </li><li>The investment will help FirstCry become a unicorn, which are startups valued at over $1 billion. </li><li>The Japanese investment firm already has a leading stakes in many other Indian unicorn startups.</li></ul>SoftBank is leading yet another Indian startup into the unicorn club. The Japan-based investment firm has put in <a href="https://techcircle.vccircle.com/2019/01/22/exclusive-baby-products-e-tailer-firstcry-raises-150-mn-from-softbank">$400 million</a> into FirstCry, a Pune-based babycare and mothercare retailer. The investment is being put in by SoftBank in tranches, with $150 million hitting FirstCry’s as the first round. The funding will take FirstCry’s valuation to <a href="https://yourstory.com/2019/01/softbank-invests-babycare-firstcry/">$800 million</a>, making it just $200 million short of becoming a unicorn, which in startup lingo is used to refer to companies valued at over $1 billion. FirstCry, founded nine years ago, has a <a href="https://inc42.com/buzz/softbank-eyes-40-stake-in-firstcry-for-400-mn/">presence </a>in over 125 cities with 300 retail outlets. Its previous investors include <keyword id="145350" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="IDG-Ventures">IDG Ventures</keyword>, SAIF Partners, Valiant Capital Partners and Indian businessman Ratan Tata. Indian startups have seen some big successes lately, with eight<a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/india-picks-up-pace-in-producing-unicorns-8-new-startups-join-2018-club-118102501079_1.html"> unicorns </a>added to the prestigious club in just 2018, taking the total number of unicorns in the country to 18. In what reflects SoftBank’s massive role in India’s startup scene, most members of this $1 billion-valuation club include Ola, Paytm, Policybazaar, <keyword id="2550719" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="OYO-Rooms">Oyo Rooms</keyword>, among others -- are already backed by the investment bank. Its $100-billion Vision Fund has its eyes set on the Indian startup ecosystem. See Also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/after-minting-1-billion-from-flipkart-sale-sachin-bansal-is-now-betting-big-on-ola/articleshow/67526383.cms">Watch out Uber. Sachin Bansal gets Ola share after selling Flipkart</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/former-indigo-chief-is-aiming-to-make-the-6-year-old-oyo-the-worlds-largest-hotel-chain/articleshow/67536612.cms">A 6-year-old Indian startup wants to be world’s biggest hotel chain</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/byjus-is-going-global-with-its-latest-acquisition-of-us-based-osmo/articleshow/67569325.cms">Online tutoring startup Byju’s is the latest Indian ‘unicorn’ going global</a>

This Indian babycare startup is closing in on the unicorn club

<ul><li>Ola is investing $100 million in scooter-sharing platform <keyword id="5042995" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vogo">Vogo</keyword> </li><li>The investment will go into helping the company buy a fleet of 100,000 scooters. </li><li>Ola is looking to expand its services beyond cabs in India and banking on ‘last-mile connectivity.’ </li></ul>Ola is looking for a bigger share in the Indian mobility market. After expanding vigorously in the cab-sharing services in India, Ola is reportedly investing $100 million in Vogo, a platform for renting scooters. The investment will be made in tranches, according to media <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/ola-commits-100m-to-scooter-sharing-co-vogo/articleshow/67154225.cms">reports</a>. Ola had earlier participated in a Series A funding round by Vogo that was aimed at raising $7 million. While Vogo has been able to fetch a considerable investment from Ola, it will reportedly continue to function as an independent start-up, reported <a href="https://www.livemint.com/Companies/rLno5nzfDNcAWjcq3H9HnM/Ola-invests-100-million-in-scootersharing-startup-Vogo.html"> LiveMint</a>. The company is planning to build a ‘multi-modal network for first-last mile connectivity’ in the country, Bhavish Bhavish Aggarwal, CEO and co-founder of Ola <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/ola-commits-100m-to-scooter-sharing-co-vogo/articleshow/67154225.cms">told</a> TOI. Ola has been working aggressively to expand its reach in urban transportation. It earlier acquired a transportation information provider, Ridlr. Both Ola and Uber have been in stiff competition in the cab-rental services for a while now. While Uber also offers a similar service under the name ‘<keyword id="3269374" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="uber-moto">Uber Moto</keyword>., However, the service does not allow customers to drive the bike themselves but only accompany an Uber driver. Vogo, which has services in Hyderabad and Bangalore, allows its customers to pick up and rent from certain areas. The problem of congestion at India’s urban cities only seems to be getting worse. Services like scooter-sharing may be a solution for urban Indians, the company hopes. Uber users were able to save nearly 40% of their time when they traveled through ‘Uber Moto,’ Quartz reported. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indian-online-car-rental-company-revv-says-it-will-now-let-users-keep-a-car-for-up-to-4-years-for-a-monthly-subscription-fee/articleshow/66827211.cms">Indian online car rental company, Revv, says it will now let users keep a car for up to 4 years for a monthly subscription fee</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indias-competition-regulator-finds-uber-ola-not-guilty-of-charging-higher-prices/articleshow/66542764.cms">India's competition regulator finds Uber, Ola ‘not guilty’ of charging higher prices</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indias-largest-online-learning-service-is-all-set-to-become-the-4th-highest-valued-indian-startup-with-a-254-billion-valuation/articleshow/66474294.cms">India’s largest online learning service is all set to become the 4th highest valued Indian startup with a ₹254 billion valuation</a>

India’s homegrown cab service company Ola is infusing $100 million into scooter-sharing startup Vogo to boost ‘last-mile connectivity’

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Shailesh Andrade/ReutersBhavish Aggarwal, chief executive of Uber's main rival in India, Ola</div></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>Indian ride-hailing firm Ola will launch in London on February 10.</li><li>Like Uber, Ola lets users summon a cab via an app.</li><li>Uber is the most popular ridehailing service in the UK, but its continued presence in London has been threatened after the regulator declined to renew its license in the capital.</li><li>Despite being a competitor to Uber, Ola shares a major backer as it has taken funding from Japanese mega-investor SoftBank.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>London is getting yet another cab-hailing app.India's Ola is coming to the UK capital, more than a year after launching in other UK cities.Like Uber, Ola offers an easy-to-use app which lets passengers summon a private-hire cab at the click of a button.The underlying business model is also much the same, with drivers signing up as independent contractors to the app, which takes a cut of their fares. Ola isn't disclosing how much commission it's charging, but says it won't take any cut of London drivers' fares for the first six weeks of operating.Ola has been running a service in the UK since the summer of 2018 in regional cities including Birmingham, Coventry and Warwick. It landed its license to operate a service in London in July 2019, and confirmed its intention to expand <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ride-hailing-firm-ola-london-launch-after-uber-ban-2019-11?r=US&amp;IR=T">its service to the UK capital in November</a>.The news brings Ola into competition with the raft of ridehailing services already operating in London, such as Uber, Bolt/Taxify, and Kapten.Like these incumbents, Ola is offering new users discounts for signing up to the app, as well the lower commission to lure in drivers.Although Ola says its service is differentiated from competitors and it works more collaboratively with regulators, that differentiation may not be particularly clear to consumers who now face a dazzling array of ridehailing apps to choose from.Ola's arrival in London also ups the pressure on Uber, which is the dominant ride-hailing service in the UK and counts London as its biggest European market.Uber has locked horns with London's transport regulator, Transport for London (TfL) for the past few years over safety issues around its service.In November, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-loses-london-licence-2019-11?r=US&amp;IR=T">Uber lost its license to operate in London</a> after the regulator found drivers operating fraudulently on its platform. The firm is appealing that decision but, if it loses, it will be forced to quit the capital.Ola declined to comment publicly when asked how it might avoid similar problems, but said it operated a 24/7 call centre for passengers with complaints. One source close to the firm told Business Insider that TfL had taken the robustness of Ola's safety measures and tech into account as part of its decision to grant an operating license.<h2>Ola and Uber share the same major investor</h2><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Carlo Allegri/ReutersUber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi.</div></div></div>Awkwardly, Ola and Uber share a major backer in Japanese mega-investor SoftBank.SoftBank invested almost $8 billion in Uber. It is thought to have invested a smaller amount in Ola although the total figure is unclear. Ola has raised $3.8 billion in funding to date.Simon Smith, head of Ola International said: "The overwhelmingly positive reception to Ola since launching in the UK in 2018 illustrates the significant demand from drivers, riders and communities. We are working closely with drivers to build a high quality and reliable service for Londoners. Launching in London is a major milestone for us and we are keen to offer a first class experience for all our customers."Axel Springer, Insider Inc.'s parent company, is an investor in Uber.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence/10-up-and-coming-fintechs?IR=T&amp;itm_source=businessinsider&amp;itm_medium=ctgr_bii&amp;itm_term=ctgr_leadgen&amp;itm_content=uber&amp;itm_campaign=10-up-and-coming-fintechs-2"></a> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-spacex-blew-up-rocket-on-purpose-2020-1">SpaceX and NASA just blew up a Falcon 9 rocket on purpose, and it has something to do with Apollo 1</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

Ola, another SoftBank-backed cab startup, will launch in London just as Uber faces being booted from the city

<ul><li>Ola is restructuring its organization as it heads for an IPO within 24 months, sources told Business Insider. </li><li>Its standalone losses in FY19 stood at ₹1,160.27 crore from ₹2,676.70 crore in the last financial year. </li><li>The ride-hailing company is also putting together governance committees, ethics committee as they head towards an IPO. </li></ul>Ola’s founder Bhavish Agarwal knows that investors on Dalal Street like leaner and meaner organisations. As the $5.7 billion company prepares to raise money from the capital markets, it is laying off people, optimising teams , and adding top executives to put out an attractive offer in two years. The restructuring would mean 5-8% of its 4,500 employees on rolls will either lose jobs or be reassigned to other teams. Less than 250 employees will be let go, a source told Business Insider. Not just that, it is also cutting down on losses as Indian investors prefer to invest in companies that are not in the red. That is work-in-progress for this 9 year old startup. In the last financial year ending March 2019, its standalone losses were at ₹1,160 crore-- which is half of the ₹2,676.7 crore year before. “With a view to become more nimble and have a sharper focus on growth and profitability, we are redesigning the organisation to build a structure that strengthens and leverages our local and global scale and enables faster decision making across all of Ola's group companies,” said an Ola spokesperson. The Board makeover The startup is also reshaping itself to look more like a listed company. It is putting together a governance committee and an ethics committee a source told Business Insider. It is also bringing experienced people into the fold by hiring for top management level across its subsidiary companies – Ola Electric and Ola Financial services. 
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 Ola and its subsidiaries like Ola Electric and Ola Money already have former top executives on board. Some of them are B V R Subbu, the former president of Hyundai India; former <keyword id="15492" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vodafone">Vodafone</keyword> CEO Arun Sarin; and Hemant Kaul, the former MD &amp; CEO of Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Even as it grooming itself, it is also thinking and working like a startup. Ola which already has operations in the UK, hurried through to expand in London as soon as its rival Uber’s licence was cancelled in the city.

Ola is shedding flab and getting a makeover as it rides to a big-bang IPO in 2 years

<ul><li>Mahindra and Mahindra has launched a premium shared mobility service called Glyd. </li><li>The service – Glyd – will have only Mahindra’s Electric Vehicles in its fleet. </li><li>While it has been launched in Mumbai, it will soon move to other cities.</li></ul>Mahindra and Mahindra has launched a cab-hailing service called <a href="https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/technology/auto/mahindra-glyd-es-into-mumbais-app-based-taxi-business-to-rival-uber-ola-3580161.html">Glyd </a>for the office-going crowd. The service is powered by electric vehicles and will come as a new rival for companies like Uber and Ola in India. While the ownership is Mahindra’s, the fleet of 10 e-Veritos for now and drivers will be managed by a third party. The service has been launched in Mumbai and will expand to other Indian cities soon. The tech-based e-mobility service is designed for the office going crowd with features like web-conferencing along with curated entertainment and music content provided from partners. It also boasts of additional features like privacy screen, air purifier, wrap-around headrest among others. The services will be marketed as a “premium” service. "The company has from time to time provided innovative and first of its kind e-mobility solutions. Glyd is one such flagship premium e-mobility solution to redefine the in-commute experience of daily commuters," M&amp;M Managing Director Pawan Goenka said in a<a href="https://www.businesstoday.in/sectors/auto/mahindra-launches-electric-mobility-service-glyd-in-mumbai-10-e-veritos-flagged-off/story/322009.html"> statement.</a> India has seen a boom of mobility startups and services, led by the successful example of Ola. Earlier Ola had also experimented with electric vehicles in Nagpur in partnership with <a href="https://auto.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/industry/ola-mahindra-partners-with-govt-to-build-electric-mobility-system-in-nagpur/58860040">Mahindra</a> to build an electric mobility system, but the idea didn’t make an impact with drivers even <a href="https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/ola-s-electric-vehicle-pilot-nagpur-fails-take-drivers-return-vehicles-77782">returning</a> vehicles.. Ola now has a new target of having one million EVs in its fleet by <a href="https://factordaily.com/ola-sets-a-new-electric-vehicles-road-map/">2021.</a> See Also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/chairman-of-mahindra-group-that-makes-electric-cars-upsells-indias-performance-on-paris-pact-on-climate-change-at-wef-2019-davos/articleshow/67656856.cms">At Davos: India's pioneer electric car maker is pushing for action against climate change</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/can-latecomer-maruti-suzuki-rev-up-electric-car-sales-in-india/articleshow/67534315.cms">Can latecomer Maruti Suzuki rev up electric car sales in India?</a>

Uber and Ola have a new challenger in India – and it’s a large car maker

<keyword id="6354742" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Flipkart">Flipkart</keyword>, the poster child of the Indian startup ecosystem, was devalued for the seventh time in January 2017, by <keyword id="4205639" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="fidelity-partners">Fidelity Partners</keyword>. At a $5.56 billion valuation, Flipkart’s shares were valued at $52.13 in November 2016, down by 36.1 percent from $81.55 per share as of August 2016. The domino effect hit the cab aggregator <keyword id="6354720" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ola">Ola</keyword> next with the US-based investment firm <keyword id="4205636" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="vanguard-world-fund">Vanguard World Fund</keyword> marking down Ola by over 40 percent. 
 According to their regulatory filing with the <keyword id="108474" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="US-Securities-and-Exchange-Commission">US Securities and Exchange Commission</keyword>, the current valuation for Ola is now $3 billion, with its shares dropping from $311.27 per share in the previous quarter to $182.70 apiece. During their peak, Ola had raised $500 million at a valuation of $5 billion. 
 That’s not all. According to reports, e-commerce giant <keyword id="541988" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="SnapDeal">Snapdeal</keyword> is reportedly looking at raising funds at a lower valuation of $4 billion. At their last fundraising round, they raised $200 million at a valuation of $6.5 billion. 
 
Valuations are normally decided according to a company’s market share, its gross margins, and its rate of growth, among other factors, but is anyone talking about the elephant in the room? Does a number decide a company’s worth or does the mettle lie someplace else? 
 
What’s The Big Deal about Valuations? 
 
While Valuations and devaluations are part of the game, they are a mix of market environment, risk appetite, a fund manager’s biases, hot new trends, fear of missing out, the multiples comparable are commanding, and of course, expected cash flows and margins. 
In 2015, we lauded the entry of Flipkart, Ola and Snapdeal in the Unicorn club. The first quarter of 2015 saw over $1.7 billion funding in start-ups and all we hear now are downturns with reality hitting the magic creatures to the ground and forcing them to compete in a horse race for fund-raising. 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/heres-how-uber-is-letting-you-earn-from-its-platform-uberdost/articleshow/57083396.cms">ALSO READ: Here's how Uber is letting you earn from its platform 'UberDost'</a> 
 
While there were muffled concerns of profitability and unit economics, the dynamics took a harder turn when in the middle of 2016 the world economic dynamics shifted. 
 
Suddenly, the pouring funding started slowing down, news of firing rounds, internal tiffs, and investor involvement began to cloud the startup skyline. 
 
Now the lauded valuations started to seem bloated and overhyped, and the cost-cutting started and it doesn’t seem to end. 
 
 
 
 
The secret is in the Business Model 
 <keyword id="824043" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Business-Insider">Business Insider</keyword>, while digging deeper into factors ailing the startup ecosystem in India, realized that business models had to be one of the core ingredients to a startup’s success or failure. So, we got in touch with key players, notable investors and successful companies that had a say in the functions of the industry. 
 
What clearly emerged was that there were mainly three business models that most start-ups and unicorns, followed in India- 
 
1) Cut prices to gain industry share and chase profit later 
2) Set up person-to-person exchanges 
3) On-Demand Model 
 
Now we break down the models to see why Indian start-ups think they’d work and why they haven’t succeeded yet. 
 
Investors’ Point of View 
 <keyword id="262067" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mahesh-Murthy">Mahesh Murthy</keyword>, Co-Partner, Seedfund, one of India’s most vocal investors told us what’s wrong with the Indian startup ecosystem,”The problem is that we are idolizing businesses that are not ‘New’. There is nothing elusive or different about the companies we look up to, they are just copycats.’’ 
 Seedfund, which is an early stage VC firm has invested in companies like Redbus.in, Chumbak, Carwale, and Voonik. “Real businesses need little or no marketing. The cost of acquiring a customer shouldn’t be higher than your investment in your product which is what is happening right now’’<keyword id="20148" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="murthy">Murthy</keyword> comments on the viability of the business models of India’s best-known <keyword id="6362513" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Startups">startups</keyword>. 
 “Innovation for the sake of innovation is useless. Most consumers prefer the companies that are competitors to Flipkart, Snapdeal, and Ola and that speaks volumes. We are just looking for great service coupled with great value for money and <keyword id="18635" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Amazon">Amazon</keyword> and Uber give us that while the other companies don’t hit the mark while getting celebrity endorsements with full-page ads.’’ 
 “Rule Number 1 of business: Never lose money. Rule Number 2: Don’t forget Rule Number 1,” said <keyword id="71133" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Warren-Buffet">Warren Buffet</keyword>, probably the most popular investor in the world. 
 <keyword id="542474" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reid-Hoffman">Reid Hoffman</keyword> from <keyword id="28120" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Linkedin">LinkedIn</keyword> and now a VC says that as a VC, you should be able to put your money into a startup and walk away from your investment and at the most, you are best placed to understand a sector if you have built a business in it or at the very least, worked in it. For Indian start-ups, we see the opposite happening with Flipkart who recently appointed <keyword id="6379357" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kalyan-Krishnamurthy">Kalyan Krishnamurthy</keyword> as CEO, who is an ex-employee at Flipkart’s key investor, Tiger Global. 
 
What is a business model? 
 
A business model explains which consumer pain a startup chooses to relieve, why your solution works better than competing ones and how big a wedge a company can drive between what customers are willing to pay and the costs. 
 
Breaking down the Business Models 
 
There are broadly the following business models at play when it comes to start-ups that hold the public eye in India: 
 
1. Cut prices to gain an industry share and chase profit later: Target a huge market and sell a product at the lowest price with fast delivery and great service. As the company grows, expand the product line, negotiate volume discounts with suppliers, invest in technology, customer response time and cut waste from the operations. Then deliver the lower costs to customers in the form of lower prices. 
 
This was Amazon’s model which is still one of the fastest growing companies in India and the world. Although it was founded back in 1994, Amazon didn’t actually make a profit until 2001. Amazon has some profitable projects, but the money made from them is typically used as investments to fund other Amazon businesses and ventures. The company invests its profits in new lines of businesses and uses them to expand. In short, Amazon seems to value growth over profits. 
 
 
 
​ <keyword id="8589" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="padmaja">Padmaja</keyword> <keyword id="980938" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ruparel">Ruparel</keyword>, President, Indian Angel Network doesn’t believe in this model simply because she thinks that Indian consumers are flighty, “There is a constant need to lure the consumer to stick with you which is tricky when you’re not the only player in the market. Your focus here is on how quickly you can grow the market and not on your business strategy.’’ Ruparel believes in investing in a much more stable business model, “We are old-fashioned for sure as our focus is on businesses building a top-line and a bottom-line. We ascertain a business by unit economics and even though the cycle might be slightly longer, B2B start-ups create a sustainable business.” 
 
“The consumer is surely attuned to buying online which was their aim, but only some players will remain in this market. Consolidation is inevitable as loss-making businesses can’t stay afloat for long, but only time will tell who will remain the top dogs here,’’says Padmaja when asked about the future for consumer-centric start-ups. 
 
India’s perspective: “E-commerce companies like Snapdeal and Flipkart are following a similar model to that of Amazon in India. The difference is that Amazon can afford to lose money in India as it is profitable in other markets. The former players are just playing in India where they’re losing money trying to compete with Amazon,” comments Mahesh Murthy. 
 
2. Set up person-to-person exchanges: A house owner in a town has a huge house that has idle rooms that aren’t occupied. The young professionals living in the city need accommodation in different towns to work flexibly but they don’t want to own a house or live in expensive hotels. It seems to be working for <keyword id="719382" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Airbnb">Airbnb</keyword> which doesn’t own any inventory and millions of people have taken advantage of these services, and Airbnb now has a market value estimated at $30 billion—roughly the same size as the <keyword id="183920" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Marriott-International">Marriott International</keyword> hotel chain. 
 
Vikram Gupta, CEO, IvyCap Ventures, “India is not a mature market where you can write off $100 million checks to companies that are spearheaded by college graduates or in some cases, dropouts. The entire ecosystem is disturbed as new companies were getting funding at overhyped valuations. The market has started to finally stabilize and we see investors going back to the revenue as a yardstick for company’s growth instead of the GMV. The businesses are coming back to realistic valuations and while they might have money left in the bank, they are looking to reduce their cash burn rate.” 
 
 
 
India’s perspective: Companies like <keyword id="2808667" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="OYO">OYO</keyword> are trying to work with small hotels and guesthouses and have even leased their own properties but the burn-rate is consistent. With simplifying its business model and focusing on one aspect; people sharing their homes with people and minimal revamping, Airbnb has revolutionized how the world sees hotel accommodation forever. 
 
3. On-Demand Model: Smartphones have driven transformational shifts in how we consume goods and services, and many consumers have become acclimated to purchasing at the press of a button. The on-demand model allows a startup to leverage new technology while utilizing existing infrastructures. Another benefit lies in the use of freelance labor with its obvious advantages in cost cutting. 
 
Uber is a great example of the sharing economy where they connect the supply to the demand of taxis without investing in their own fleet. 
 
India’s perspective: <keyword id="6362049" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ola-Cabs">Ola Cabs</keyword> is Uber’s biggest competitor in India and while both companies burn a lot of money trying to lure customers to get into a taxi, Uber is currently the world’s most valuable startup at $69 billion. 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/online-cab-players-in-2016-completed-nearly-half-a-billion-rides-with-250-y-o-y-growth-in-india/articleshow/57273938.cms">ALSO READ: Online cab players in 2016 completed nearly half a billion rides with 250% y-o-y growth in India</a> 
 
Winner Speak 
 V. Krishnan, Co-founder, and Director of <keyword id="1675768" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Justdial-Ltd">JustDial Ltd</keyword> who likes to call his company an ‘18-year old startup’ says that for a successful business you don’t need an extraordinary idea, “The problem with start-ups today is that they don’t focus on profitability. To create a profitable business, you need extraordinary execution, not an idea. Giving money to people to use your services doesn’t make sense. The Indian customers are not loyal to brands, but to offers. Our goal was to create a world-class business and a world-class company.’’ 
 
For the first ten years of JustDial’s existence, the company didn’t raise any funding. The company ran on a shoe-string budget and used its own money to survive. In 2006, when internet penetration and broadband gained traction in India, the company was ready with its fully functional website to complement its telecom services. From 2-3% internet users to now 85% internet users, the company has grown to 200 Cr web searches annually, without any cashback or incentives. The company is probably one of the rarely profitable internet companies in the country today. 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/65-of-start-ups-feel-indian-startup-eco-system-may-be-in-a-tech-bubble-report/articleshow/57205211.cms">ALSO READ: 65% of start-ups feel Indian startup eco-system may be in a tech bubble: Report</a> 
 
“The core business of start-ups isn’t ready but there is marketing happening. India is going to be giving you a lot of opportunities. Everyone wants to create a company, raise a great valuation and sell it off to do something bigger; the attitude is wrong," he signs off. 
​ 
Business Insider got in touch with Flipkart, Ola, Snapdeal, and Uber for this story but the companies chose to not comment on the same. 
 
​ 
 
Business Insider’s Take 
 
While popular Indian start-ups struggle to survive without additional funding coming in, we see some internet companies like JustDial and BookMyShow staying afloat, without investor-intervention. 
 
When it comes to businesses and business models, investors and successful companies agree that the tried and tested works; build a business with a strong product that you can alter as technology develops. The business of losing money can only take you so far if you don’t put it to good use. 
 
There’s a difference between investment into a product and burning money, and the start-ups better realize that before they get acquired or relinquished by the players who created the game that they’re set to lose. 
 
The market is big enough for companies that create value for customers not just for start-ups that create customers; the difference is everything. 
 
(Graphics: All figures in INR crores for the financial year 2015- 2016. Source: <a href="http://www.livemint.com/Companies/vtqiTC9VgJgnUfOAH2QdiL/Flipkart-still-Indias-top-startup.html">Mint Research</a>) 
 
**For Oyo, the result is from Apr-Dec 2015. 
*BookMyShow is the only company mentioned that has profits.

BI Investigation: Business models akin to Amazon and
Uber’s aren’t working for Indian startups

Taxi aggregator <keyword id="6354720" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Ola">Ola</keyword> today declared the launch of '<keyword id="3716887" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ola-Offline">Ola Offline</keyword>' across key metros in the country in an offer to tap customers who can't use data services on their phones. 
 
The component will empower customers to book a taxi even without internet. The customer just needs to send his area details to Ola through SMS after which the taxi aggregator will impart driver details to the client. The client will then be needed to call the driver to alter the ride, Ola said in an announcement. 
 
The "Offline" highlight was steered in a few littler markets like Indore and Nagpur, since June this year, it said. 
 
The element will be taken off over all the 102 urban areas that Ola works in, over the coming weeks, beginning with four metros, it included. 
 
The element will be accessible over all taxi classes like Micro, Mini, Prime and Lux.

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