Fery Rides, India’s first women-led mobility platform designed for women, has raised INR 2.075 crore in a seed funding round led by IAN Angel Fund, part of IAN Group. The round saw participation from Hari Balasubramanian, Uday Chatterjee, and Sri Prakash. The investment will support the company in enhancing its technology, expanding operations beyond the NCR, and onboarding more women drivers referred to on the platform as Sister Partners.
Fery Rides addresses one of India’s most pressing challenges: the lack of safe and reliable transportation for women. Every day, millions of women in Indian cities commute with anxiety and fear of harassment. The idea for Fery began when co-founder Ajay Kumar witnessed a close friend being harassed by a ride-hailing driver. “That was the moment he realised how unsafe the daily commute had become for women,” say reports. Together with Vindhya Mehrotra and Himanshu Chaubey, he created a platform prioritising safety, reliability, and dignity.
The platform ensures that every ride is operated by trained and verified women drivers and is exclusively for women passengers. Technology facilitates easy onboarding, real-time tracking with SOS alerts, and WhatsApp-enabled customer support via a robust app. Moreover, all vehicles are electric, combining sustainability with inclusivity.
Since its launch in April 2023, Fery has completed over 65,000 eco-friendly rides, empowered more than 250 women drivers, and surpassed 50,000 app downloads. Currently operating in Gurugram, the platform is preparing to scale across Delhi NCR and other major cities. Fery has also partnered with Sakha Cabs for airport rides and participated in pilot operations during the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj.
Ajay Kumar, Co-founder & CEO, Fery Rides, said, “This fundraise is more than just capital; it’s a strong validation of our mission to redefine mobility for women in India. With the backing of IAN Group and our mentors, we are ready to scale Fery into a national movement for safer, sustainable, and women-led urban transportation.”
Padmaja Ruparel, Co-founder, IAN Group, added, “Real change happens when innovation meets inclusion. Fery Rides places women at the centre of the solution to one of the biggest challenges — safe mobility. This company has built an innovative solution to a real problem, creating both value and social change. We’re proud to support a team that is redefining transportation through empowerment, technology, and trust.”
Fery’s model is unique in empowering women on both sides of the ride. It provides commuters with a trusted, stress-free travel option while offering dignified livelihood opportunities for women drivers, often excluded from the gig economy. Sister Partners gain training, financial independence, and confidence, and many are now becoming role models in their communities.
Beyond statistics, Fery’s journey is deeply human. One early driver, once hesitant to navigate traffic, now completes 20 rides a day and supports her daughter’s ambition of becoming an Olympic athlete. Stories like hers reflect the larger mission of building a movement where women support, trust, and uplift one another through mobility.
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