The automotive industry was an epicenter of activity with profitable prospects in 2008. In an attempt to capitalise on the excitement, everyone joined the party and opened their own auto dealerships or companies.
Nevertheless, a significant gap was present in the midst of the frenzy: a dearth of unbiased, transparent, and dependable information regarding automobiles. CarDekho identified this need and began with a straightforward yet ingenious business plan by giving customers accurate and trustworthy vehicle information.
Let’s take an intriguing tour of the CarDekho business model’s many components to encourage aspiring young entrepreneurs to investigate comparable complex opportunities-
Two brothers, Amit and Anurag Jain (CarDekho founders), came up with the bright concept to launch CarDekho.com in 2008 as a one-stop shop for everything related to cars. It began modestly, resembling a car guidebook. CarDekho.com quickly grew as more people visited it, adding professional reviews, vehicle prices, and buying/selling advice. With its headquarters located in Jaipur, CarDekho has footprints in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
The main purpose of CarDekho’s introduction was to provide a comprehensive and open source of information about cars. With all the clear and objective information on the car, greatly aids potential buyers and increases CarDekho’s credibility and trustworthiness.
CarDekho helps consumers find the answers to their automobile-related questions by providing thorough information about a variety of cars, which ultimately helps them select the best car for their requirements. Currently, CarDekho runs a number of well-known Indian auto portals, including PowerDrift.com, Gaadi.com, ZigWheels.com, BikeDekho.com, and CarDekho.com. Customers can sell their used automobiles at its CarDekho Gaadi stores, and they can purchase used cars at its CarDekho Gaadi Trust Mark Stores.
CarDekho Business Model Canvas
CarDekho is a leading online platform in India that helps users buy, sell, and research cars. It offers detailed car reviews, price comparisons, and connects users with dealers, lenders, and insurers. Below is the Business Model Canvas that outlines how CarDekho creates, delivers, and captures value:
CarDekho Business Model Canvas
1. Key Partners
Car manufacturers and dealerships
Insurance companies
Loan/finance providers
Affiliate partners (accessories, warranty)
Content creators and influencers
2. Key Activities
Listing cars and comparing prices
Generating leads for dealers
Certifying and inspecting used cars
Creating automotive content (reviews/videos)
Running Gaadi stores (buy/sell used cars)
Managing subscriptions (CarDekho Plus)
3. Value Propositions
All-in-one platform for buying/selling cars
Verified and detailed car information
Easy connection with top local dealers
Car financing, insurance, and accessories support
Certified used cars with trust and transparency
4. Customer Relationships
Online support via chat or call
Social media and YouTube engagement
Personalized tools (car matcher, recommendations)
Loyalty via CarDekho Plus subscription
5. Customer Segments
New and used car buyers
People selling their used cars
Car dealers and manufacturers
Auto enthusiasts and video viewers
Customers seeking loans, insurance
6. Channels
CarDekho.com and sister sites (BikeDekho, Gaadi, etc.)
CarDekho discovered that only those who are interested in buying a car will use the website to view the models’ specifications. As a result, after gaining the trust of the public with truthful data, they also made the process of buying a car easier by connecting the prospective buyer with the local top sellers and created a profitable business model. The company makes money through various modes:
Generating Revenue Through Advertising
CarDekho gives automakers and dealerships a range of advertising choices to advertise their goods and services. The business charges for sponsored content, banners, and display adverts on its website and mobile app.
Guiding the Customers and Generating Revenue
CarDekho connects automakers and dealerships with prospective customers to create leads. Depending on the buyer’s interest and budget, the business charges a fee for each lead it generates.
Subscription Model
“CarDekho Plus,” a premium subscription plan offered by CarDekho, gives consumers access to extra perks like longer warranties, free insurance, and exclusive discounts. For this service, the business charges a fee that is renewed annually.
Partnering with Third-Party Companies
CarDekho collaborates with a number of other businesses to market their auto-related goods and services, including finance, insurance, and accessories. Every sale made via the company’s affiliate links results in a commission for the business.
The core of CarDekho’s business strategy is offering a comprehensive platform for both car buyers and sellers, in addition to other value-added services. The business is a major force in the Indian automobile sector since it makes use of its extensive network and data insights to produce income through a variety of channels.
CarDekho is the biggest consumer-facing internet site in India, with 50 million unique visitors each month, the largest automotive social networking platform, and the top player of automotive video content, with over 3 million YouTube subscribers.
SWOT Analysis of CarDekho
CarDekho SWOT Analysis
CarDekho Strength
For the first time, CarDekho reported a profit of INR 37 crore (excluding unusual items) in FY24. Compared to a loss of INR 143 crore in FY23, this was a major turnaround.
Additionally, consolidated losses decreased to INR 340 crore from INR 562 crore in the prior fiscal year. These numbers indisputably show that the business is turning a profit again.
CarDekho Weakness
The majority of consumers feel apprehensive about the method CarDekho uses to evaluate cars and assign a price.
Most of the customers believe that the price they are paying is far lower than what they would have received otherwise.
CarDekho Opportunity
Since the company has already launched its operations internationally, it can further expand its wings to other countries in order to increase its business operations.
CarDekho Threats
Competition is getting very intense in this domain.
With startups like Spinny signing sports icon Sachin Tendulkar to promote their brand, it is critical for CarDekho to always look for new business opportunities in order to stay ahead of the competition.
Conclusion
The success of Car Dekho can be linked to its creative business strategy, customer-focused mindset, and efficient use of technology. Amit and Anurag Jain, the company’s creators, have successfully established a distinctive online marketplace that serves the requirements of automobile buyers and sellers throughout India. Car Dekho is in a strong position to take advantage of the prospects and increase its market share as the Indian auto industry grows.
FAQ
Is CarDekho a B2B or B2C?
CarDekho operates as both B2B and B2C.
Who owns CarDekho?
CarDekho is owned by GirnarSoft, founded by Amit Jain and Anurag Jain.
What is CarDekho?
CarDekho helps users buy, sell, and compare cars, providing vehicle reviews, insurance, and financing options.
How does CarDekho make money?
CarDekho makes money through ads from car brands and dealers, lead generation fees, paid subscriptions (CarDekho Plus), commissions from loans and insurance, and used car sales at its Gaadi stores.
What are CarDekho business model revenue streams?
CarDekho’s revenue streams include advertising, lead generation fees from dealers, CarDekho Plus subscriptions, commissions from finance and insurance partners, and income from selling used cars through Gaadi stores.
Is CarDekho profitable?
Yes, CarDekho is now profitable. In FY 2024, the company posted a standalone profit of INR 37 crore (excluding exceptional items), marking its first full-year profit after an INR 143 crore loss in FY 2023. Consolidated losses also improved significantly, dropping from INR 562 crore in FY 2023 to INR 340 crore in FY 2024.
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The emergence of the internet has transformed the car-buying experience positively, making it much more accessible and convenient than before. Today we have a lot of online portals that will take you through the process effortlessly. One such portal is CarDekho.
Founded by Amit Jain and Anurag Jain in 2008, CarDekho is a prominent car search venture that helps users find fitting new and old car variants and buy them without any hassles.
Here’s the StartupTalky article to know about CarDekho, its founders, competitors, business and revenue model, startup story, funding, investors, acquisitions, and more.
CarDekho, a creation of ‘GirnarSoft‘ founded by Amit and Anurag Jain, stands as a comprehensive online platform dedicated to all things automotive. Both the web app and the CarDekho.com website house a wealth of rich automotive content. This includes expert reviews, detailed specifications, pricing information, andcar comparisons, as well as an extensive collection of pictures and videos covering a diverse array of car brands and models available in India.
Furthermore, CarDekho provides valuable insights into the automobile industry, ensuring users stay updated with fresh content, recent launches, and industry trends.
CarDekho – How it Works?
CarDekho offers consumers a smooth 360-degree experience by acting as a virtual auto dealer. Users of the platform can peruse through a number of categories, future autos, and new releases. Furthermore, CarDekho has its own online store with a large selection of automobile accessories, including sun films, car stereos, stickers, floor mats, and more. In addition, it also provide car loan for new car used car and refinances for the existing car.
Company maintains an active automotive forum where industry professionals and reviewers respond to user-posted questions about cars in an effort to promote community involvement. In general, CarDekho creates a comprehensive and effective automobile platform by fusing technological know-how with user-friendly interfaces.
CarDekho is the product of ‘GirnarSoft’ owned by the founder duo, Amit and Anurag Jain. CarDekho is a web app that has almost anything and everything about an automobile. Both the app and the CarDekho.com website boast rich automotive content including but not limited to expert reviews, detailed specs, and prices of cars, comparisons of cars, pictures, and videos of an exhausting range of car brands and models available in India.
India’s automotive market grew rapidly, hitting $121.5 Billion in 2024 and expected to reach $247.4 Billion by 2033, with a notable compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.13 % from 2024 to 2033. India is a well-known center for the production of automobiles worldwide. Its low production costs are a result of cheap labor, a plentiful supply of raw materials, and a depreciating currency. India is a key player in the global automotive industry, producing more than 4 million cars a year, making it the fourth largest automobile producer in the world.
CarDekho – Founders and Team
Amit Jain and Anurag Jain are the founders of CarDekho. Amit Jain is the CEO and co-founder, while Anurag Jain acts as the COO and co-founder at CarDekho. Umang Kumar has also been the President and co-founderof the company.
Amit Jain
Amit Jain – Co-founder and CEO at CarDekho
Amit Jain is an IIT Delhi alumnus from where he obtained a BTech degree before going on to join Tata Consultancy Services. Leaving TCS after serving the company for around one year, Amit joined Trilogy, where he went to be a Product Manager. Jain next started with GirnarSoft as the CEO and co-founder of the company, which he is still serving at the present. Amit Jain is also the CEO and co-founder of CarDekho.
Anurag Jain
Anurag Jain – Co-founder and COO at CarDekho
Anurag Jain is also an IIT Delhi alumnus who has obtained an Integrated Master of Technology in Mathematics and Computing. Jain was a Senior Systems Consultant at i2 Technologies after which he joined Sabre Holdings as a Senior Operations Research Analyst. Anurag is serving as the COO and co-founder at GirnarSoft.
Both the founder and his brother were born on November 12th, and they both finished their education at St. Xavier’s School in Jaipur. Both of them continued their education at IIT Delhi, where Anurag studied computer science and mathematics and Amit chose to major in civil engineering. Amit was interested in products and technology-related items because he and his brother had worked in the corporate sector for about eight years, having worked for businesses such as TCS and Trilogy.
Umang Kumar
Umang Kumar – Co-Founder and President at CarDekho
Umang Kumar was earlier the co-founder of Gaadi.com, but ever since the latter has been acquired by CarDekho, Kumar has been associated with the team, where he has been serving as the co-founder and President at CarDekho. Umang Kumar is an alumnus of Visvesvaraya Technological University, from where he obtained a BE degree in Computers. Kumar next went on to pursue a Post Graduate Diploma in Management from the Indian School of Business and then joined the Harvard Business School for the Naspers program in General Management, Strategy and Leadership. Before joining Gaadi Web as the co-founder and CEO, Umang founded another company, Accentium Web. During his career, Umang served a couple of other companies, 9.9 Mediaworx and ABP, where he served in key leadership positions.
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In January 2008, the Delhi Auto Expo inspired brothers Amit and Anurag Jain to start their own business to make buying a car easier. Cardekho.com was launched in March 2008, with the brothers starting the business from their garage foundation. As a result of their vision and influence on the automobile retail industry, their creation is valued at an astounding $1.2 billion.
In the early days of their startup journey, the Jain brothers encountered initial challenges, particularly in their outreach to potential customers through phone calls and emails. When they finally got their first client, their persistence paid off, and they embarked on a modest but eventually fruitful journey that led to several referrals and more jobs. CarDekho’s early success served as the impetus for its growth. Equipped with an expanding workforce, amassed capital, and a well-defined idea, they formally introduced CarDekho, signifying a noteworthy turning point in their endeavor to revolutionize the automotive sector.
CarDekho – Startup Launch
A lot of thought and conceptualizing went into building CarDekho after its launch. Even though the company had been launched, they kept their IT consultancy services ongoing because the founders wanted the primary income to keep flowing. CarDekho is one of those companies that take the consumer through the whole process, from the start to the end and during the process, to make sure that the customer is satisfied.
Like all the other entrepreneurial ventures, this company too was a little slow in the beginning, but when it geared up the pace, the founders never looked back. And soon enough, its numbers did the talking when they roared success out loud to the world.
CarDekho.com has launched many innovative features to ensure that users get an immersive experience of the car model before visiting a dealer showroom. The standout feature is the “Feel The Car” tool, providing a 360-degree view of the car’s interior and exterior. It goes beyond visuals, incorporating authentic sounds and feature explanations through engaging videos. It also offers features for searching and comparing cars by the makes, models, prices, features, and more. Furthermore, it also provides live offers and promotions in all cities.
Along with the above consumer product features, CarDekho.com provides a rich array of tech-enabled tools to OE manufacturers and car dealers. These consist of lead management applications for dealer sales executives, call tracking services, cloud-based sales performance monitoring, digital marketing assistance, virtual online showrooms, and outsourced lead management operational procedures that move customers from inquiry to sale.
The company’s vision is to establish a comprehensive ecosystem that links automakers, dealers, consumers, and associated businesses. There goal is to make it simple for customers to buy and sell cars while handling every aspect of car ownership, such as coordinating the purchase of accessories, tires, batteries, insurance, and roadside help.
CarDekho – Name, Logo and Tagline
CarDekho Logo
The naming of CarDekho has been done because the website aims to help users to browse through cars and car-related information. The tagline of CarDekho says, “Bharosa Kar Ke Dekho.”
CarDekho – Business Model
CarDekho operates as a pivotal online marketplace, serving as a nexus between buyers and sellers of automobiles. Its fundamental business model centers on offering consumers an all-encompassing platform for researching, comparing, and acquiring both new cars. As an information-based e-commerce platform, CarDekho delivers insightful content to cater to auto enthusiasts. Moreover, it seamlessly functions as an eCommerce platform, ensuring a seamless and convenient experience for individuals immersed in the car-buying process.
CarDekho – Revenue Model
The revenue model of CarDekho has been simple and clear-cut since day 1.
Here are the primary mediums through which CarDekho earns its revenues:
Advertising: To help automakers and dealerships advertise their goods and services, CarDekho provides a range of advertising alternatives. On its website and mobile app, the business charges for sponsored content, banner ads, and display ads.
Lead Generation: CarDekho seamlessly connects manufacturers and vehicle dealerships with potential customers, generating leads. The fee for each lead is customized based on the buyer’s budget and level of interest, ensuring a dynamic and value-driven cost structure.
Subscription Model: CarDekho presents a premium subscription model, “CarDekho Plus,” offering users exclusive benefits like discounts, free insurance, and extended warranties. The service comes at a fee, renewable annually.
Affiliate Marketing: Partnering with third-party companies, CarDekho promotes products and services related to cars, earning commissions for each sale through its affiliate links.
Subscription Model: CarDekho presents a premium subscription model, “CarDekho Plus,” offering users exclusive benefits like discounts, free insurance, and extended warranties. The service comes at a fee, renewable annually.
Affiliate Marketing: Partnering with third-party companies, CarDekho promotes products and services related to cars, earning commissions for each sale through its affiliate links.
In February 2020, CarDekho announced a secondary sale, enabling eligible employees to redeem 50% of their vested options through GirnarSoft Group’s ESOP Exercise. The company valued this cash-out at approximately $3.5 million. Notably, this marked the second instance of such a scheme in FY20, following the initial ESOP cash-out in April 2019, where CarDekho successfully bought ESOPs amounting to $2 million.
CarDekho – Challenges Faced
CarDekho’s early difficulties included raising awareness in a market devoid of significant competitors. In order to get past this, the business made significant marketing investments, provided discounts, and expanded into the used and new car markets, eventually leading the way as an online marketplace for automobile sales.
Faced with competition from the used car industry, CarDekho made a calculated decision to enter the new car market, becoming one of the first companies to provide an online platform for new car purchases. This action not only addressed the fierce competition but also strengthened CarDekho’s standing as a pioneer in automobile retail innovation.
CarDekho – Funding and Investors
So far, CarDekho has raised $501.1 million spread across 10 funding rounds to date.
Here are the funding details for CarDekho:
DATE
STAGE
AMOUNT
INVESTORS
October 13, 2021
Series E
$200 million
LeapFrog Investments
October 13, 2021
Debt financing
$50 million
–
December 5, 2019
Series D
$70 million
Ping An Global Voyager Fund
January 3, 2019
Series C
$110 million
CapitalG, Hillhouse Capital Group, Peak XV Partners
July 20, 2018
Series B
$2.99 million
Trifecta Capital Advisors
March 21, 2018
Series B
$2.5 million
Peak XV Partners
March 21, 2016
Venture Round
–
CapitalG
May 28, 2015
Venture Round
–
HDFC Bank
January 29, 2015
Series B
$50 million
–
November 27, 2013
Series A
$15 million
Peak XV Partners
CarDekho.com, which went live in 2008, was set up by a bunch of young, enthusiastic IIT graduates. Its investors include Google Capital, Tybourne Capital, Hillhouse Capital, Sequoia Capital, HDFC Bank, Ratan Tata, and Times Internet.
CarDekho – Mergers and Acquisitions
CarDekho has acquired 3 companies.
COMPANY ACQUIRED
DATE OF ACQUISITION
AMOUNT
Revv
Dec 1, 2023
–
Carmudi Philippines
Nov 28, 2019
–
Gaadi Web
Sep 30, 2014
$11 million
CarDekho – Partnerships
Girnar AI Innovations Lab
Amit Jain’s CarDekho and Girnar AI Innovations have teamed up to revolutionize customer support with AI-powered solutions. Their platform, Uservox.ai, uses voice bots, chatbots, and conversational tools to create personalized and efficient customer interactions. This collaboration aims to enhance engagement and streamline customer experiences.
CarDekho – Growth
In its fourth year, CarDekho had already served 2.5 crore visitors by January 2012, reaching the pinnacle of success with a record 1.7 lakh used car sales across India. The launch of its iOS app, following the Android version, resulted in 100,000 downloads within a month, doubling web portal visitors and tripling revenues. By 2014, with a team of over 600 employees, CarDekho expanded its offerings with portals like BikeDekho and PriceDekho.
In 2019, CarDekho significantly expanded its reach by collaborating with 3,000 used car dealers, 4,000 new car dealerships, ten financial institutions, and eighteen insurance providers in India. This strategic network aimed to simplify processes like used car financing and insurance, offering a more streamlined experience for both buyers and sellers in the automotive market. Concurrently, CarDekho introduced Gaadi by CarDekho and inaugurated CarDekho stores in the National Capital Region (NCR) in January 2019, diversifying its services to cater to a broader audience.
In September 2021, CarDekho shifted its strategy to require thorough home inspections before car purchases, resulting in the closure of over 20 stores. This move reflects CarDekho’s confidence in the efficiency of the home inspection model, prompted by changing market dynamics post the COVID-19 crisis and showcasing the company’s adaptability to industry challenges.
CarDekho launched Rupyy
This new platform offers a whole new horizon of financing alternatives to the customers and retailers of automobiles. With the birth of Rupyy, CarDekho aims to empower customers with easy and convenient methods to apply for and receive approval for their auto-financing requirements. According to the CarDekho statement, Rupyy is an end-to-end digital platform that is designed to make the loan journey smooth and hassle-free for customers.
Rupyy work via a QR code-based onboarding process at vehicle dealerships and loan companies. This QR code-based process guides the customers with a self-help path running video KYC, e-NACH, and e-Agreement technologies, which helps them approve their loans right at the point of sale within a few minutes.
CarDekho total expenses dropped from INR 2,921 crore in FY23 to INR 2,669 crore in FY24.
EBITDA
CarDekho Financials FY21-FY24
FY21
FY22
FY23
FY24
EBITDA Margin
-32.34%
-28.63%
-19.23%
-9.19%
Expense/Rs of Op Revenue
INR 1.44
INR 1.36
INR 1.25
INR 1.19
ROCE
-36.94%
-25.71%
-21.6%
-9.2%
CarDekho – Advertisements and Social Media Campaigns
CarDekho Campaign
The auto-tech startup CarDekho, along with brand ambassador Akshay Kumar, presented advertising campaign called “Sapna re.” The brand has emphasized in the advertisement the importance of fulfilling the desire of car ownership for Indian middle-class consumers. Akshay Kumar makes an appearance in a new guise in this campaign as a father who has promised to purchase his little child a car.
CarDekho – Awards and Achievements
Some of the noteworthy awards that CarDekho received in its early days were:
“Best” and “Most Popular” Auto Website of 2016
Website of the Year India 2014 in Automobile Category
Best Car Website of 2012
Most Popular Website of 2012
Website of the Year, India 2011 and 2012
Best Automotive Website of 2009
CarDekho – Competitors
Other online marketplaces in India that deal with and cater to the same set of the target audience are:
CarDekho was looking to expand its business to Southeast Asian markets as per news of 2021. The company, according to the co-founder and President Umang Kumar, was aiming to establish its leadership in the automobile ecosystem of the region. CarDekho has expanded its footprints into Southeast Asia following the acquisition of Carmudi, as per news on October 4, 2023.
Mayank Gupta, CarDekho Group CFO, regarding the startup’s growth plans, said, “With scale, leverage, efficiencies, and process improvements, we are trying to contribute towards our total EBITDA level profitability, and that is what we intend to achieve before the IPO.”
CarDekho has therefore kept its growth plans on track and expects great growth in the future.
CarDekho plans to file its DRHP by March 2025, aiming to raise $500 million (INR 4,100 crore) with an IPO valuation of $2–2.5 billion, nearly double its 2021 valuation of $1.2 billion. The company focuses on enhancing customer experiences through advanced, personalized technologies.
FAQs
Who is CarDekho Founder?
Amit Jain and Anurag Jain are the founders of CarDekho. Umang Kumar has also been the co-founder of the company since CarDekho acquired Gaadi.com.
Is Cardekho reliable? How are CarDekho cars?
Yes, CarDekho is reliable. It is, in fact, one of the most trusted places for certified pre-owned cars. CarDekho cars are thoroughly inspected and come with a 6 months warranty along with a 7-day money-back guarantee.
What is CarDekho net worth?
CarDekho has a net worth of $1.2 billion as of December 2024.
Who is Amit Jain?
Amit Jain is the CEO and co-founder of CarDekho.
What is CarDekho Revenue Model?
The primary mediums through which CarDekho earns its revenue are:
AdSense
Sponsored Advertisements
Commissions from the manufacturers and dealers
Affiliate marketing
Lead generation
Car insurances
How much funding has CarDekho raised?
So far, CarDekho has raised a total of $501.1 million spread across 10 funding rounds to date.
Amit Jain is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Co-founder of GirnarSoft, an IT externalizing company that launched CarDekho in 2008. The CarDekho website and mobile application help its users buy the right vehicle they are looking for. The reliable reviews of experts help the users differentiate and compare the vehicles to buy the most preferable one. The comparisons are done through detailed information, pictures, and videos of the brands and models available in India.
Amit Jain CarDekho’s co-founder is soon going to be seen judging the popular show, Shark Tank India along with other sharks. Discover more about Amit Jain’s net worth, personal and professional life, education, and more.
Amit Jain, the Cardekho owner was born and brought up in India. He completed his academics in Jaipur and Delhi. His mother, Nilma Jain is a homemaker and his father, the Late Mr. Prashant Jain was an ex-RBI officer and also a gemstone businessman. Amit has a younger brother, Anurag Jain who is the co-founder and COO of CarDekho Group. Amit’s wife, Pihu Jain is the Head of Girnar Foundation. Amit Jain has twin sons.
Amit Jain – Education
Amit Jain, CarDekho’s CEO did his schooling at Saint Xavier’s School, Jaipur. After finishing school, Amit studied science and passed the Engineering Entrance Exam. He then got into IIT Delhi.
Amit Jain – Professional Life
In the year 1999–2000, Amit worked as a Software Engineer at Tata Consultancy Services. After that, he worked as a Senior Associate, Delivery Manager, and Product Manager at Trilogy for about 6 years and 11 months. In 2007, Amit co-founded GirnarSoft, the IT firm, along with his brother Anurag Jain, with the dream of starting a business from their hometown. Later, in 2008, Amit and Anurag both co-founded CarDekho.com, the flagship portal of GirnarSoft.
He established a company named GirnarSoft with his brother in 2007, which launched CarDekho in 2008. He is the CEO of the company and Co-Founder along with his brother. He aimed to build an online platform that would drive traffic from Google and appear at the top. Amit and his brother dreamed of establishing a million-dollar company through an IT-based firm. His efforts paid off with fruitful results. Their online venture, CarDekho, eventually gained huge gross profits.
Millions of people visited the website and returned to learn about the reviews and features of various cars. Amit understood that this was going to work, and the brothers invested more employees and time in the CarDekho online venture. Buying a car is, for sure, an important decision for a middle-class family, they need to have proper guidance. CarDekho proves to be the best online platform that the common man needs.
Amit Jain – Shark Tank India
Amit Jain – Shark Tank India
Shark Tank India Season One turned out to be a great success for numerous startups as well as the sharks. Amit Jain replaced the first season’s most prominent shark, Ashneer Grover in the second season of Shark Tank India.
Amit was super thrilled to be a part of the show. While expressing his excitement, he wrote on his LinkedIn, “Looking forward to mentoring budding entrepreneurs on the show to build a new India.”
Being a judge on one of the most popular shows among Indian audiences has undoubtedly added to Amit’s success.
Amit and his brother started with a small garage at their home. They dreamed of establishing an IT outsourcing firm, and soon a team of 20 people started working for them. The first year of the company proved to be profitable, and eventually, they could buy a place for an office. But in 2009, the company went bankrupt when the stock market crashed. At that time, the company had about 70–80 employees, and they didn’t even have money to pay their salaries. Amit didn’t know how he would manage the office expenses, salaries, etc. Without losing hope, he learned that it is very important to use corporate money with sanctity.
With a pre-established company, both the brothers started thinking of an online venture CarDekho. However, they were still in a dilemma of paying employees of their team. Still, they made CarDekho live in just two weeks. The idea of launching CarDekho came when they attended the Auto-Expo in Delhi. After doing the necessary calculations, they got to know that they could recover their loss through this online venture. The turning point came when they took CarDekho as an official flagship project.
Very few people think of initiating their business from their home town. Also, there are a few examples of people who have really started their ventures from their hometown and accomplished them gradually. Amit Jain is undoubtedly among those examples, who has not only established his firm but also brought huge success and fame to his name and hometown.
Amit Jain – CarDekho
Not a single penny was spent on marketing CarDekho, still, it achieved more popularity than any other application software launched by GirnarSoft. It has now become India’s number one Autotech portal and Rajasthan’s first unicorn startup. The company boasts having more than 35 million monthly unique users, 6000+ monthly used car sales, and 3000+ new cars sold monthly.
In 2013, the company got weighty funding from an American-based company, Sequoia Capital. It significantly attracted many companies for advertising because of the spectacular online presence of CarDekho. Later, it also acquired Gaddi.com in 2014 and Zigwheels in 2015. Without any doubt, CarDekho played a vital role in lifting the name of the parent company GirnarSoft. CarDekho became a unicorn startup in India after raising $250 million in its Series E funding round in October 2021, bringing its valuation to $1.2 billion.
CarDekho is planning to launch an IPO in 2025 and is talking to investment banks about it. The company aims to raise INR 3,000 crore to INR 4,000 crore. The bankers for the IPO will be chosen soon, according to a source. With an estimated worth of $2 billion to $2.5 billion, the IPO would almost double its prior valuation.
CarDekho Group Acquisitions Under Amit Jain’s Leadership
Year
Acquisition
2014
Gaadi
2015
ZigWheels
2018
PowerDrift
2019
Carmudi Phillipines
2023
Revv
After completing 11 terrific years of CarDekho, Amit Jain CarDekho owner disclosed the new Logo in February 2019. The snazzy new logo manifests the automated settings of the app. Like, whenever a new car comes on the market, an old and new comparison tool is designed to clear things up. Both the brothers acceded for aLogo especially designed on the pockets of their white shirts, be it old or new.
The basic aim of CarDekho was to provide data on different cars so that people may understand the features offered in a car. Comparison, reviews, and feedback are something that makes a product reliable and give satisfaction to the customer.
Amit Jain – GirnarSoft
Parent Company of CarDekho – GirnarSoft
GirnarSoft is a company providing business value-based IT solutions and services. Amit founded the company along with his brother in 2007. It is the parent organization of CarDekho and is headquartered in Jaipur, Rajasthan. The company offers a variety of services like mobile application development, Automotive, Outsourcing IT solutions, custom software development, etc. It operates automotive portals and marketplaces like PriceDekho, BikeDekho, InsuranceDekho,OTO.com, and various other portals around the world.
CarDekho, an online marketplace for cars, is supposedly in advanced talks to choose merchant bankers for its planned IPO, which is expected to take place early next year. A media report stated that CarDekho might decide on the bankers’ appointment for the public issue as early as next week.
The business wants to fund close to $500 million, or roughly INR 4,100 crore and intends to file its draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) in March 2025. A key component of the IPO is anticipated, with a valuation goal of $2 billion to $2.5 billion.
Expansion Plans
The net revenues from the IPO will be put towards CarDekho’s planned acquisitions to broaden its service offering, as well as its further geographic and category expansion. A portion of the holdings held by early investors, such as Peak XV, Google Capital, and Hillhouse Capital, will be sold during the offer for sale (OFS) portion of the IPO.
With an estimated worth of $2 billion to $2.5 billion, the IPO would almost double its prior valuation. CarDekho has contemplated going public before; in 2021, the business discussed an IPO, but it never happened.
In order to oversee the prospective IPO, CarDekho earlier this year named Neelesh Talathi, a former executive of Mensa Brands and Pepperfry, as its group chief financial officer. CEO and co-founder Amit Jain stated in January that CarDekho planned to become profitable for a minimum of four to six quarters prior to going public.
Financial Status
Amit Jain and Anurag Jain launched CarDekho, an app-based vehicle listing platform, in 2008. The business also manages the financing website Rupyy and the insurance platform InsuranceDekho. CarDekho, which competes with CarTrade, Spinny, and Cars24, has raised more than $692 million in funding to date. The business raised $250 million in a combination of primary and secondary capital in 2021, when its valuation was last estimated at $1.2 billion.
For the fiscal year 2022-2023 (FY23), CarDekho Group recorded operating revenue of INR 2,331 crore, increasing 1.5 times from INR 1,600 crore in the prior fiscal year. Nonetheless, losses in FY22 rose slightly to INR 562 crore from INR 535 crore.
The announcement of CarDekho’s IPO intentions coincides with an increase of Indian firms looking to go public. Up to ten new-age digital businesses have gone public this year, including FirstCry, Go Digit, Ola Electric, and Awfis.
To build a startup, one needs more than talent, perseverance, and desire. On that list of necessities, funds take the number one spot. For any kind of startup, getting funds is definitely not a piece of cake.
Trifecta Capital with its existence makes acquiring funds a little bit easier for startups. The traditional way of getting a loan from a bank is not that easy, not every new company gets that help.
Thankfully, venture debt like thing exists in reality. Trifecta Capital here plays a significant role. It is one of the companies that put its trust in the startups that have the potential to reach the peak of success. At this age, having someone, who puts their trust in you, is something, that is truly rare. Trifecta Capital lends its hands to new businesses and takes a pledge to rise with them together.
We rise by lending a hand to others.
-Svetlana Fernandes
About Trifecta Capital
Trifecta Capital is the first company in India, that provides venture debt to startups. It first steps its foot in the business world in the year 2014, as a venture debt firm. It was founded by Nilesh Kothari and Rahul Khanna. The firm mostly focuses on, early growth stage companies and had invested almost ₹1800 Crores from 2015 to 2020.
At first, it launched with a ₹500 Crore fund. Trifecta with its ways gets to be a part of the growth of different companies. It has invested in over 70 companies and counting. Their aim is “Financial offering designed to help you at every step of your journey to success.”
Trifecta definitely has one of the strongest portfolios. It has funded some big names in the business and has been a part of their growth process. Some of those companies are: Lets look at Business Funded By Trifecta Capital
The largest online grocery store in India, Bigbasket delivers grocery and household items to the customers. Founded in 2011 by Hari Menon, Vipul Parekh, VS Ramesh, VS Sudhakar, and Abhinay Choudhari. BigBasket has taken an initiative to deliver fresh grocery items to the doorsteps of every household that demands them.
BigBasket secured a new deal with Trifecta in July 2019 and fixed a venture debt of ₹100 Crores. Before that, in 2017, Trifecta lend its hand to BigBasket by providing a fund of ₹45 Crore. This time, BigBasket stated that the ₹100 Crores fund will mostly use in supply chains and warehouses. The Covid-19 pandemic led to a sharp 84% rise in the number of its consumers. As per the Financial year 2021, this e-commerce revenue is INR 3818.2 Crores.
Infra.Market
InfraMarket Logo
The construction solution company uses technology to organize the construction industry and make the price of materials more transparent. It was founded in the year 2016 by Aaditya Sharda and Souvik Sengupta. It deals with the real estate and construction industry and is a platform that connects clients to those who provide materials at an affordable cost.
In the year 2020, Infra.Market raised ₹40 Crore as venture debt from Trifecta. It fund was reportedly used for geographical expansion. As per the year 2021, Infra.Market’s revenue is $700 million.
PharmEasy
PharmEasy Logo
Another online business, this time it deals with the purchase and delivery of medicine and other medical supplies. It is India’s finest pharmacy app. The best thing is, the customers receive the medicine within 48 hours of their order placement.
It came into existence in 2014 and is founded by Dharmil Sheth, Dhaval Shah, and Mikhil Innani. It connects the consumers with pharmacy stores that are situated nearby and helps in getting medical supplies in just a click.
Trifecta invested ₹15 Crore in PharmEasy in the December of 2017 as the venture debt. Later in 2018 E-pharmacy startup PharmEasy raised Rs 40 crore of debt from Trifecta. India’s top Pharmacy app decided to use the fund provided by Trifecta to develop their technology to establish more smooth performance. As per the financial year 2020, the revenue of PharmEasy is ₹637 Crore.
This mobile application software has taken it upon itself to provide news on all trending topics. Founded in the year 2007 by Umang Bedi, Umesh Kulkarni, and Virendra Gupta, it is serving Indian customers every day since then. It is based in Bangalore, India.
Trifecta has invested a confidential amount of money in Dailyhunt. As per the financial year of 2020, the revenue of Daily Hunt is ₹310 Crore
ShareChat
ShareChat Logo
It is a social media and social networking service (SNS) founded in the year 2015 by Ankush Sachdeva, Bhanu Pratap Singh, and Farid Ahsan. The best part is, it is available in 15 regional languages of India. As its name suggests one can share content and it has the feature of the direct message as well.
In the year 2020, ShareChat secured a deal with Trifecta and got a venture debt of $8.86 million. The revenue of ShareChat is ₹38.12 Crore as per the financial year of 2020.
Cars24
Cars24 Logo
Cars24 is an online marketplace to buy and sell previously owned cars and bikes. It was founded by Gajendra Jangid, Mehul Agrawal, Ruchit Agarwal, and Vikram Chopra in 2015. It is now quite easy to sell a car, which was quite a hassle before, thanks to Cars24. It is considered one of India’s fastest-growing marketplaces for selling used cars.
In 2017, the then two-year-old company was able to strike a deal with Trifecta. At that time, Trifecta invested a non-disclosed amount in the company. This time, Cars24 seal a deal of ₹100 Crore from the venture debt firm Trifecta in June 2021.
With the demand spurring for used cars in the country, Cars24 will use this fund to make its business more strong in the industry. In return, this will help it become a strong competitor for its rival businesses. The revenue of Cars24 is ₹1688 Crore.
CarDekho
CarDekho Logo
This is an online platform where one can sell and buy cars. It provides every bit of information about the automobile industry. It is based in Gurgaon, India, and was founded in the year 2007 by Amit Jain and Anurag Jian.
In the year 2018 CarDekho raises a fund of $3.6 million from Trifecta and in 2021 they again got venture debt of ₹100 Crore. As per the financial year 2020, the revenue of CarDekho is ₹240 Crore.
It is considered India’s largest platform of the fresh produce supply chain. It was founded by Ashutosh Vikram, Sharath Babu Loganathan, Thirukumaran Nagarajan, Vasu Devan in the year 2015. It helps in distributing fruits and vegetables directly from farmers to buyers.
In the year 2018, Ninjacart raised ₹7 Crore venture debt from Trifecta Capital, and again in 2019, it secured a deal venture debt of almost ₹20 Crore. As per the report, the funding is being used for the growth of infrastructure and the technology Ninjacart uses. The revenue of this company in the 2020 financial year is ₹469 Crore.
Vedantu
Vedantu Logo
Founded in the year 2011, Vedantu is an online tutoring platform for students. Here, one can find any subject tutor according to their choice and indulge with them in studies. The platform provides ‘LIVE’ one on one session between the teachers and the students. It is created by Vamsi Krishna, Pulkit Jain, Saurabh Saxena, and Anand Prakash.
The app is extremely popular among students as it provides online tutoring. With superior technology, they are trying to engage in building up the biggest learning platform for students. It focuses on providing quality education and good teachers to the users of the app.
The venture debt firm Trifecta invests ₹9.42 Crore in Vedantu in the year 2019. This made the online platform’s value $100 million. Vedantu caters to the needs of over 40,000 students from all over the country.
BharatPe
BharatPe Logo
Founded in the year 2018 by Ashneer Grover, Bhavik Koladiya, and Shashvat Nakrani, this financial service provider company mostly deal with payments via UPI. Based in New Delhi, India this company provides loans to its traders as well.
Trifecta funded ₹50 Crore to this Fintech company in 2021, the fund will be used for the growth of the lending business. The revenue as per the financial year of 2021 is ₹700 Crore.
Future Plans of Trifecta Capital
Trifecta is trying to help the startups that have high growth potential by providing them with funds and have a mission to make India one of the main hubs of Startups.
Conclusion
We live in a time where getting funds to begin with a startup is quite difficult. Trifecta started their journey to be the hope for those budding startups that showcase high growth and has a possibility of becoming a big brand in the near future. It is working and lending a helping hand to the dreamers to make their dream a reality, thus, their motive is to rise by lifting others.
Some of these companies are breaking the business world every day and proving their mettle by keeping the trust of Trifecta. Let’s learn about those companies a little bit.
FAQ
Where is Trifecta Capital Located?
Trifecta Capital is based and operates from Mumbai.
How much Trifecta Capital has invested?
Trifecta Capital has invested over ₹2200 Crore since 2015.
Who is the founder of Trifecta Capital?
Nilesh Kothari and Rahul Khanna are the founders of Trifecta Capital.
Maruti Suzuki India which is one of the largest manufacturers of the four-wheeler segment in the country has seen a decline in the sales during the month of May. The company has been a pioneer in the consumer market segment of four-wheeler sales in the country. Let’s look at the reason for the decline in the number of sales.
On 1 June 2021, Maruti Suzuki had reported that there was a decline of around 71% in the sales of the largest carmaker in the country on May 2021. The carmaker has seen a decline of 71% when compared to the sales on April 2020 as during the month of April the sales were around 1,59,691 compared to the sales of May which amounted to just 46,555 units.
Maruti Suzuki India had also conveyed that their domestic dispatches to their dealers in the month of May amounted to around 35,293 units which saw a decline while compared to the month of April which amounted to around 1,42,454 units.
Segment wise Decline in sales of Maruti Suzuki
The sales of mini cars of the company such as S-Presso and Alto saw a decline of around 81% during the month of May which amounted to 4,760 units when compared to April which amounted to 25,041 units.
The sales of the compact segment vehicles such as Swift, Baleno, Dzire and Ignis saw a decline of around 72 % during the month of May which amounted to 20,343 units when compared to April which amounted to 72,318 units.
The sale of the mid-sized sedan which is Ciaz saw a decline during the month of May which amounted to 349 units when compared to April which amounted to 1,567 units. The sale of Utility Vehicles which include Vitara Brezza, Ertiga and S-Cross had also seen a decline of around 75 % during the month of May which amounted to 6,355 units when compared to April which amounted to 25,484 units.
As per the report received from Maruti Suzuki India, the company has also seen a decline in their export segment of around 35% which amounted to 11,262 units in the month of May when compared to the 17,237 units in the month of April.
Reason for the decline in Sales of Maruti Suzuki
One of the major reasons for the decline of the sales for the largest carmaker in the country was due to the shutting down of their manufacturing units. It is seen that the company had shut down the production process in the month of May 2021 from 1st to 16th.
The production process was stopped by the company in order to divert the oxygen from the industrial usage for the medical purpose across the country. There was a nationwide crisis as the majority of the hospitals have been facing a lack of oxygen supply for the patients and a lot of them losing their lives.
Soon after that, the major places in the country had gone under lockdown and not having a proper production process for the entire month has affected the sales volume of May 2021.
Maruti Suzuki Sales compared to May 2020
About Maruti Suzuki India
Maruti Suzuki India is a subsidiary company of the Japanese based automotive manufacturer Suzuki. The company was formerly known as Maruti Udyog Limited and was owned by the Government of India in between 2981 to 2003. In the year 2003, the Government of India had sold it to the Japanese company Suzuki Motor Corporation.
The company has a market share of around 53% in the Indian car passenger market. The company has its headquarters located in New Delhi, India.
Conclusion
Maruti Suzuki India has conveyed that due to the shut down of production for the supply of oxygen and disruptions faced due to lockdown, the normal production hasn’t taken place in the past two months and hence the sales volume of May 2020 is not comparable to the one that of May 2021.
FAQ
Who is the CEO of Suzuki?
Osamu Suzuki is the current CEO of Suzuki.
When was Maruti Suzuki founded?
Maruti Udyog limited was founded by the government of India in 1982.
Is Maruti Suzuki most selling car in India?
Yes, Maruti Suzuki has been consistent in selling most number of cars for fourth consecutive year.
“If you want to walk fast, walk alone. But if you want to walk far, walk together.” – Ratan Tata, Tata Group
Ratan Tata is a prolific investor and has made numerous investment in many Startups. His style of investment and funding are revered by many across the globe. And his investments are known to emerge as giants in their respective sectors with time. Ola Cabs is an example.
An investment from Ratan Tata gives a boost to startups in terms of publicity, acquiring finances, and brand-building. Here is a list of the startups that Ratan Tata has funded over the years. Consequently, the behemoth organization of Ratan tata – Tata Group has also infiltrated a number of markets such as telecom, software, groceries, and fashion.
Latest News
22 April, 2021 – Ratan Tata has recently made an undisclosed amount of investment in Mailit which is a Mumbai based logistics startup serving a lot of big corporates including Tata Motors, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, etc.
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The Recent investment by Ratan Tata was in 2021, as he invested in Mailit, a technology-driven mailroom management and logistics company. The terms of the investment are undisclosed but it comes at at a time when Mailit is planning to launch 500 mailrooms across India in addition to establishing fully mechanised warehouses and distribution centres in the next five years.
Tork Motors
Tork motors | Ratan Tata Investment
Tork Motors is a Pune-based electric motorcycle startup. Ratan Tata invested an undisclosed amount in Tork Motors in October 2019. He saw potential in the company and found the team to be commendable. Apart from Ratan Tata, Bharat Forge and Bhavish Aggarwal (Ola Cabs’ founder) have also invested in Tork Motors.
Snapdeal
Snapdeal | Ratan Tata Investment
Snapdeal is India’s first online marketplace for multiple categories. It has received funding from Ebay and Alibaba. Snapdeal was launched by Kunal Bahl and Rohit Bansal in February 2010. It has over 3 lakh sellers and hosts over 3 crore products across 800+ diverse categories from more than 1,25,000 regional, national, and international brands and retailers.
Ratan Tata made an investment in Snapdeal soon after Flipkart’s acquisition of Myntra. He bought 256 shares from the e-commerce venture’s angel investors. This move not only protected Snapdeal from losing market share but also prevented any potential attempt by Flipkart to monopolize the e-commerce segment.
Cure.fit is a health and fitness startup that has raised $170 million from investors like Accel Partners, Kalaari Capital, Chiratae Ventures, and Ratan Tata to date.
Cure.fit maintains a chain of fitness centers (under the ‘Cult.fit’ brand), a food delivery platform called ‘Eat.fit’, a chain of healthcare clinics called ‘Care.fit’, and the recently launched online mental-wellness platform called ‘Mind.fit’.
Paytm started out as a mobile recharging platform and later became an online marketplace for multiple categories. It became India’s first payment bank after receiving a license from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Ratan Tata Made an investment in Paytm by raising a funding of INR 1 crore in March 2015 for One97 Communications – the parent company of Paytm. This funding fetched him the position of a business advisor on One97 Communications’ board.
Paytm is now among the most successful digital payment companies with millions of subscribers. It thrived when the demonetization scheme was implemented in India in November 2018. At present, the company’s gross merchandise value (GMV) is over $1 billion.
Ola is India’s first home-grown cab aggregator service and one of the nine Indian unicorn startups valued at $5 billion. The app allows users to book a taxi on their smartphone at the best fares. Ola provides cab services across price segments that range from economy to luxury.
Ratan Tata funded Ola in July 2015, 5 years after the company began its operations in 2010. He invested INR 95 lakhs in the company in personal capacity. Ratan Tata made also an investment through his investment company – RNT Capital Advisors – of INR 400 crores in Ola.
Repos Energy
Repos Energy | Ratan Tata Investment
Aditi Bhosale Walunj and Chetan Walunj founded Repos Energy. Repos Energy is a Pune-based startup responsible for the doorstep delivery of fuel to industries. It works using cloud-based technology and IoT devices. Customers can order diesel on the Repos app. A Repos petrol pump operator then arrives at the customer’s location and completes the diesel delivery. Ratan Tata made an undisclosed amount of investment in this startup.
ClimaCell
Climacell | Ratan Tata Funded Startup
ClimaCell is an app developed by Rei Goffer, Shimon Elkabetz, and Itai Zlotnik that provides accurate weather forecast to alert people about upcoming floods. It uses day-to-day devices as environmental sensors. ClimaCell focuses on error-free weather predictions and has garnered a lot of attention.
Ratan Tata participated in ClimaCell’s seed round funding in September 2016. ClimaCell has acquired $70 million over three rounds of funding.
Abra
Abra Logo | Ratan Tata Investment
Ratan Tata has also made an investment in a Silicon Valley based bitcoin startup with American Express where he with American Express invested $12 million in Abra. People can store digital cash and send money to any smartphone using Abra’s app. Abra earns money when users buy or sell digital currency through its app.
CarDekho
CarDekho Logo | Ratan tata Funded Startups
CarDekho is India’s leading car search venture that helps users purchase the right cars. Ratan Tata invested an undisclosed amount in GirnarSoft – the parent company of CarDekho, BikeDekho, and PriceDekho portals.
The CarDekho app has rich automotive content that includes expert reviews, detailed specs and prices, comparisons, and the visuals of the different car brands and models available in India.
The company deals with many automobile manufacturers, more than 4000 car dealers, and numerous financial institutions to facilitate the purchase of vehicles. The CarDekho portal accounts for about 30% of the automobile manufacturers’ combined annual sales today.
Holachef
Hola Chef | Ratan tata Funded Startups
Holachef was founded by Saxena and Anil Gelra in 2014. Holachef connects expert chefs with consumers via its website and mobile app (available for both Android and iOS platforms). The platform offers a new menu everyday and delivers food in a state-of-the-art packaging. Holachef received an undisclosed amount of investment from Ratan Tata in September 2015.
Ola-owned food delivery firm Foodpanda has acquired Holachef.
FirstCry is a baby care e-commerce platform. FirstCry is owned by BrainBees Solutions. It follows an omni-channel strategy of selling through online and offline stores. Ratan Tata invested an undisclosed amount in this startup in January 2016.
Lenskart
Lenskart Logo | Ratan Tata Funded Startup
Lenskart is a popular online retailer for eyewear. It was also been added to the list of companies invested by Tata as it secured funding from Ratan Tata in April 2016; the amount is undisclosed.
Lenskart sells sunglasses, eye glasses, contact lenses, and more. The officials from Lenskart said that Ratan Tata’s role was more of a mentor and an advisor than a financial investor. Some of the investors in Lenskart are TPG Group, IDG Ventures India, and Unilazer Ventures founder Ronnie Screwvala.
NestAway
nestaway logo | Ratan Tata Funded Startups
NestAway allows users to find, book, and move-in to a rental home of their choice across Indian cities. NestAway’s aim is to provide better rental solutions with the help of design and technology. The company presently caters to more than 35,000 tenants and 16,000 owners, providing homes to over 7000 families in cities like Delhi, Gurgaon, Hyderabad, Pune, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and others. Ratan Tata invested an undisclosed amount in NestAway Technologies Pvt. Ltd. in December 2017.
Urban Ladder is an online furniture seller. Urban Ladder was founded by Ashish Goel and Rajiv Srivatsa in July 2012. It currently offers over 1,000 products across 25 furniture categories such as wardrobes, beds, sofas, dining tables, and coffee tables. The online retailer secured funding from Ratan Tata in November 2015.
UrbanCompany
Urban Company Logo
UrbanCompany, previously known as UrbanClap, is a local services marketplace that raised an undisclosed amount in funding from Ratan Tata in December 2015. It is also funded by Snapdeal founders Kunal Bahl and Rohit Bansal.
The UrbanCompany app allows the online booking of services such as plumbing, electric work, beauty treatments, and salon. UrbanCompany has successfully penetrated the services sector and bridged the gap between workers and consumers. People can now easily overcome the challenges of household hurdles, troubles, fixtures, and anything related through UrbanCompany.
GOQii
Goqii Logo | Ratan tata funded Startups
GOQii makes healthcare watches that are similar to smart watches. It also makes GOQii Stride, a device people can attach to their shoes and keep track of the number of steps, etc. GOQii’s platform provides tools for real-time personalized coaching, scheduling health check-ups, and securing information in a health locker. GOQii was founded in 2014 by Vishal Gondal. It joined the list of Ratan Tata-backed startups after he invested an undisclosed amount in October 2016.
This might come across as an interesting trivia—Ratan Tata is the first Indian to buy a stake in Xiaomiandhe has also made an undisclosed amount of investment in the company. Xiaomi is the world’s fourth largest smartphone manufacturer and is based out of China. The brand is very popular in India. It entered the Indian market in 2014. The Chinese tech giant sells smartphones, laptops, air purifiers, tablets, LED TVs, fitness bands and more.
Some senior executives from Xiaomi were quoted saying that they would seek Ratan Tata’s advice on how to expand globally.
Lybrate
Lybrate Logo | Ratan Tata Funded Startups
Lybrate was founded in 2013. It connects patients and doctors. Lybrate launched an online lab testing facility in May 2016. A patient’s sample is collected right from his or her home and the results are then shared online. Lybrate secured about INR 64.8 crores ($10.2 million) funding from Ratan Tata in July 2019.
Infinite Analytics is a U.S. and Mumbai-based startup founded by two MITians – Akash Bhatia and Purushotam Bolta. It became Microsoft Dynamics AX’s first global OEM partner four months after Ratan Tata has also made an investment in this startup in August 2015.
Infinite Analytics is a cloud-based big data startup that predicts consumer behavior based on information shared by users on social networking sites. Infinite Analytics analyses raw data, maps out a person’s social genome, and then gives personalized recommendations to consumer brands with online presence. This information, which is collected without breaking privacy laws, allows a retailer to identify and recommend products that will appeal to customers. Infinite Analytics has expanded its predictive analytics technology to verticals beyond retail and e-commerce.
CashKaro
Cashkaro Logo | Ratan Tata Funded Startups
CashKaro is a cashback and coupons website that provides 30% cashback to customers who shop on its affiliates’ platforms. These platforms include Amazon, Paytm, Jabong, and ShopClues. The Gurgaon-based company was founded by Swati and Rohan Bhargava in 2013 and raised an undisclosed amount in Series A funding from Ratan Tata in January 2016.
Cashkaro generates revenue by taking commission from retailers and sharing a portion of it with customers in the form of cashback. It is the largest cashback website in India with over 10 lakh registered users and has given net cashback of more than INR 30 crores.
DogSpot
Dogspot Logo | Ratan Tata funded Startups
DogSpot is a Gurgaon-based online pet care platform that handles about 60,000 orders on a monthly basis with an average basket size of INR 1,700. DogSpot also promotes pet-centric events, drives, and related content. The startup was founded in 2007 and is run by PetsGlam Services Pvt. Ltd.
Ratan Tata invested an undisclosed amount in his personal capacity in DogSpot in January 2016. Ronnie Screwvala also invested in DogSpot alongside Ratan Tata.
BlueStone
Bluestone Logo | Ratan Tata funded Startups
Bluestone.com is an online platform for purchasing jewelry. BlueStone was founded by Gaurav Singh Kushwaha in 2011. BlueStone is backed by Ratan Tata and has also received a funding from him in 2014. It offers over 5,000 jewelry designs and plans to scale to 30,000 designs in the next three years.
Zivame
Zivame Logo | Ratan Tata funded Startup
Bangalore-based Zivame was founded in 2011 by Richa Kar and Kapil Karekar. Zivame is an online platform for one’s lingerie needs. It has raised $48 million in four years. The startup gained popularity through its quirky campaigns and is a well-known name today. Zivame received funding from Ratan Tata in September 2015.
Generic Aadhaar
Generic Aadhaar | Ratan Tata funded Startup
Ratan Tata has invested undisclosed amount in Generic Aadhaar, a Maharashtra-based pharmaceutical startup. Arjun Deshpande founded Generic Aadhaar in 2018. Generic Aadhaar provides generic medicines from reputed pharmaceutical companies at discounted rates—up to 80% cheaper than the retail price. It offers a catalog comprising branded, generic, homeopathy, and Ayurveda medicines from government-approved manufacturing facilities.
Generic Aadhaar aims to partner with 1000 pharmacies through a franchisee model in the coming months and expand its reach to places like Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, New Delhi, Goa, Rajasthan, and Gujarat.
What are the names of some Ratan Tata funded startups?
Some startups funded by Ratan Tata are Ola cabs, Zivame, Paytm, Snapdeal, Xiaomi, Urban Ladder, UrbanCompany, Cash Karo, and Abra.
What sector does Ratan Tata like to fund in?
Ratan Tata does not prefer any specific sectors. He has funded startups in sectors ranging from e-commerce and real estate to electric mobility and food delivery.
Rishabh Rathi
