Joseph Patricio: Made The Details V1

2026-04-06T11:26:09Z

Made The Details V1

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{{short description|Indian online bike taxi aggregator}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2019}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Rapido
| former_name = theKarrier
| logo = Rapido (company).svg
| type = [[Privately held company|Private]]
| industry = [[Transportation]]
| founded = {{start date and age|df=yes|2015}}
| founders = Aravind Sanka Pavan Guntupalli SR Rishikesh
| hq_location_city = [[Bengaluru]], [[Karnataka]]
| hq_location_country = India
| num_locations = 100+ cities
| num_locations_year = 2022
| services = [[Motorcycle taxi|Bike taxi]] [[Auto rickshaw]] [[Taxicab]] [[Third-party logistics]]
| revenue = {{up}} {{INRConvert|648|c}} (FY24)<ref name="fy24">{{cite news|title=Rapido’s operating revenue nears Rs 650 Cr in FY24; cuts losses by 45%|url=https://entrackr.com/fintrackr/rapidos-operating-revenue-nears-rs-650-cr-in-fy24-cuts-losses-by-45-7576868|work=EnTrackr|date=13 November 2024 |language=en}}</ref>
| area_served = India<ref>{{cite web |title=Bike-taxi service Rapido to double its presence to 150 cities in 6 months |date=15 March 2019 |url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/logistics/bike-taxi-service-rapido-to-double-its-presence-to-50-cities-in-6-months/article26546085.ece |publisher=The Hindu Business Line |accessdate=3 November 2019}}</ref>
| homepage = {{URL|https://rapido.bike}}
}}

'''Roppen Transportation Services Private Limited''', [[doing business as]] '''Rapido''', is an Indian [[ride hailing|ride-hailing service]], which primarily operates as a [[Motorcycle taxi|bike taxi]] aggregator. Its offerings also include [[auto rickshaw]] and [[taxicab]] hailing, [[parcel delivery]], and [[third-party logistics]] services.<ref>{{cite news |title=Rapido shifts focus to logistics; sees 25% business recovery and aims for 1.5x growth next year over FY20 |url=https://www.businessinsider.in/advertising/brands/article/rapido-bike-rent-company-shifts-focus-to-logistics/articleshow/78203738.cms |access-date=4 December 2020 |work=Business Insider |archive-date=20 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201120144731/https://www.businessinsider.in/advertising/brands/article/rapido-bike-rent-company-shifts-focus-to-logistics/articleshow/78203738.cms |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Founded in 2015, the company is based in [[Bengaluru]] and operates in over 100 cities as of 2022. It has faced legal troubles in several locations where bike taxis are not legal.<ref>{{cite news |title=Rapido targets to more than double user base |url=https://www.thehindu.com/business/rapido-targets-to-more-than-double-user-base/article38176173.ece |access-date=29 April 2022 |work=The Hindu |date=7 January 2022 |language=en-IN}}</ref>

==History==
The company was founded in 2015 as theKarrier<ref name=bloom>{{cite web |title=Startup Street: Rapido Begins Its Delhi City Service Amid Odd-Even Curbs |date=3 November 2019 |url=https://www.bloombergquint.com/business/startup-street-rapido-begins-its-delhi-city-service-amid-odd-even-curbs |publisher=Bloomberg |accessdate=3 November 2019}}</ref> by two [[Indian Institutes of Technology|IIT]] alumni and a [[PES University|PESU]] alumnus – Aravind Sanka, Pavan Guntupalli, and SR Rishikesh respectively.<ref>{{cite web |title=Indian Motorbike-Taxi Service Rapido Aims To Reach 1 Million Rides Each Day In 2019 |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/anuraghunathan/2018/11/28/indian-motorbike-taxi-service-rapido-aims-to-reach-1-million-rides-each-day-in-2019/#6e5b29145840 |work=Forbes |accessdate=4 April 2019}}</ref> In September 2018, reports were that Rapido has over 15,000 registered riders, with an average rides of 30,000 per day.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bike taxi app Rapido to launch new features for visually-challenged commuter |url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/info-tech/bike-taxi-app-rapido-to-launch-new-features-for-visually-challenged-commuters/article25057002.ece |work=The Hindu |date=27 September 2018 |accessdate=4 April 2019}}</ref> Subsequently, [[Hero MotoCorp]] chairman [[Pawan Munjal]] and former [[Google]] India head Rajan Anandan picked up stakes in the company.<ref>{{cite web |title=Pawan Munjal, Rajan Anandan invest in bike taxi operator Rapido |work=The Economic Times |date=20 April 2016 |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/small-biz/startups/pawan-munjal-rajan-anandan-invest-in-bike-taxi-operator-rapido/articleshow/51894620.cms |publisher=Economic Times |accessdate=4 April 2019}}</ref>

In 2019, Rapido co-founder Aravind Sanka claimed that the company has created more than 500,000 jobs in India.<ref>{{cite web |title=We took a bold step to focus on tier-2 cities |work=mint |date=23 October 2019 |url=https://www.livemint.com/companies/start-ups/-we-took-a-bold-step-to-focus-on-tier-2-cities-11571850727376.html |publisher=Livemint |accessdate=3 November 2019}}</ref> In November 2019, the company claimed to have 1 crore registered users.<ref name=bloom/>

After the breakout of the [[COVID-19 pandemic in India|COVID-19 pandemic]], Rapido expanded its operations in logistics, providing [[Last mile (transportation)|last-mile delivery]] of goods for local businesses and e-commerce companies.<ref>{{cite news |last1=SH |first1=Salman |title=Bike taxi startup Rapido launches logistics service for businesses |url=https://www.livemint.com/companies/start-ups/bike-taxi-startup-rapido-launches-logistics-service-for-businesses-11592829196528.html |access-date=4 December 2020 |work=mint |date=22 June 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Mukherjee |first1=Sharmistha |title=Rapido turns to hyperlocal delivery now |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/small-biz/startups/newsbuzz/rapido-turns-to-hyperlocal-delivery-now/articleshow/75525531.cms |access-date=4 December 2020 |work=The Economic Times}}</ref> In October 2020, Rapido launched on-demand [[auto rickshaw]] hailing services.<ref>{{cite news |last1=SH |first1=Salman |title=Bike taxi app Rapido forays into on-demand autorickshaw service |url=https://www.livemint.com/companies/start-ups/bike-taxi-app-rapido-forays-into-on-demand-autorickshaw-service-11602765464473.html |access-date=4 December 2020 |work=mint |date=15 October 2020 |language=en}}</ref>

In April 2022, the company received $180 million in a funding round led by [[Swiggy]], raising the company's valuation to $830 million. The Series D round of funding also saw participation of [[TVS Motor Company]], Westbridge, Shell Ventures, and Nexus Ventures.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rapido raises $180 mn in funding round led by Swiggy, TVS Motor |url=https://www.fortuneindia.com/enterprise/rapido-raises-180-mn-in-funding-round-led-by-swiggy-tvs-motor/107806 |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=www.fortuneindia.com |date=9 April 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Singh |first1=Manish |title=Swiggy backs bike taxi platform Rapido in $180 million funding |url=https://techcrunch.com/2022/04/15/swiggy-rapido/ |access-date=15 April 2022 |work=TechCrunch |date=15 April 2022 |language=en}}</ref>

In 2023, Rapido introduced [[taxicab]] hailing on its app.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Singh |first1=Jagmeet |title=India's bike taxi startup Rapido is getting into the cab business |url=https://techcrunch.com/2023/10/26/rapido-cabs-india/ |access-date=26 November 2023 |work=TechCrunch |date=27 October 2023}}</ref>

In September 2024, Rapido became a [[Unicorn (finance)|unicorn]] after raising $200 million in its Series E round at a $1.1 billion valuation.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sharma |first=Samidha |date=2024-09-05 |title=Rapido raises $200 million in funding led by WestBridge; valuation hits $1.1 billion |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/funding/rapido-rolls-into-unicorn-club-with-200-million-raise-at-1-1-billion-valuation/articleshow/113073029.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2024-09-11 |work=The Economic Times |issn=0013-0389}}</ref>

In August 2025, Rapido launched its [[food delivery]] app called Ownly.<ref>{{cite news |title=Rapido steps into food delivery with 'Ownly' app in Bengaluru, a no-commission challenger to Swiggy, Zomato: Report |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/bengaluru-news/rapido-steps-into-food-delivery-with-ownly-app-in-bengaluru-a-no-commission-challenger-to-swiggy-zomato-report-101755153191712.html |access-date=20 December 2025 |work=Hindustan Times |date=14 August 2025 |language=en}}</ref>

==Business model==
The Rapido app allows the user to book a ride, after which a rider (called "Captain") arrives at the location. The fare includes a base fare of {{INR}}20 in addition to {{INR}}3 for every kilometer of the ride.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bike ride, a click away |url=https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/as-urban-spaces-struggle-with-traffic-rapido-bike-taxi-hopes-to-make-passenger-experience-quick-comfortable-and-affordable-in-the-city/article24173539.ece |work=The Hindu |date=15 June 2018 |accessdate=4 April 2019 |last1=Philip |first1=Susan Joe }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Rapido kick-starts its operations in Warangal |work=Telangana Today |url=https://telanganatoday.com/rapido-kick-starts-its-operations-in-warangal |accessdate= 4 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Rapido plans to launch "power pass" for regular commuters |work=The Economic Times |date=14 November 2018 |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/small-biz/startups/newsbuzz/rapido-plans-to-launch-power-pass-for-regular-commuters/articleshow/66618268.cms |publisher=Economic Times |accessdate=4 April 2019}}</ref> The "Captains" need to register through the Rapido-Captain app and get validated by submitting the required documents. They can use motorcycles, scooters, or e-bikes, but the vehicle cannot be older than 2010.

==Legal issues==
Rapido has run into legal troubles in various cities. In October 2018, several bikes were seized in [[Coimbatore]] as Rapido was operating without a permit from the transport department.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bike taxi service runs into dead end |work=The Times of India |date=12 October 2018 |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/coimbatore/bike-taxi-service-runs-into-dead-end/articleshow/66171521.cms |publisher=Times of India |accessdate=4 April 2019}}</ref> In July 2019, [[Madras High Court]] banned Rapido's operations across [[Tamil Nadu]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Explainer: Why bike sharing app Rapido has been banned across Tamil Nadu |date=24 July 2019 |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/explainer-why-bike-sharing-app-rapido-has-been-banned-across-tamil-nadu-106020 |publisher=The News Minute |accessdate=3 November 2019}}</ref> while the Rapido [[iOS]] application was removed from the [[App Store (iOS/iPadOS)|App Store]] for violating local laws.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Upadhyay |first1=Harsh |title=Rapido app lifted from Apple app store following Madras HC ban order |url=https://entrackr.com/2019/07/rapido-app-ban-madras-hc/ |access-date=28 December 2020 |work=Entrackr |date=19 July 2019}}</ref> In August 2019, the court lifted the ban and allowed the company to resume services in the state until the state government framed new regulations for bike taxi services.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2019-08-02|title=Rapido can continue operations in T.N.: HC|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/rapido-can-continue-operations-in-tn-hc/article28788935.ece|access-date=2020-12-07|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

In February 2019, more than 200 bike taxis belonging to Rapido and [[Ola Cabs]] were seized in [[Bangalore]] as the state transport department declared bike taxis to be illegal.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bike taxis are illegal says Karnataka transport dept, impounds 200 bikes |date=18 February 2019 |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/bike-taxis-are-illegal-says-karnataka-transport-dept-impounds-200-bikes-96904 |publisher=The News Minute |accessdate=4 April 2019}}</ref> In April 2019, more than 170 Rapido bikes were impounded and an investigation was launched against Rapido by the city cyber crime police.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bad news for Bengaluru commuters: RTO officials issue notice to Rapido for 'illegal bike taxi service' |url=https://newsable.asianetnews.com/news/bad-news-for-bengaluru-commuters-rto-officials-issue-notice-to-rapido-for-illegal-bike-taxi-service--ppj40d |access-date=28 December 2020 |work=Asianet}}</ref> Despite the ban, the company was reported to be illegally operating in Bangalore, with Rapido Captains disguised as food delivery executives.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bike taxis hide behind aggregators, operate illegally under the radar |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bengaluru/2019/jul/30/bike-taxis-hide-behind-aggregators-operate-illegally-under-the-radar-2011377.html |accessdate=30 April 2020 |work=New Indian Express}}</ref>

In February 2020, Rapido was banned across [[Assam]], after the transport department found that the company was operating without commercial license or permit from the DTO.<ref>{{cite news |title=Assam Transport Department bans Rapido-Bike Taxi Service in Guwahati, Office sealed |url=https://www.sentinelassam.com/breaking-news/assam-transport-department-bans-rapido-bike-taxi-service-in-guwahati-office-sealed/ |accessdate=16 April 2020 |work=The Sentinel Assam}}</ref> In October 2020, shortly after it commenced operations in [[Mumbai]], the city's transport authorities asked the company to stop its services as it was operating without the government's permission.<ref>{{cite news |title=RTO asks Rapido to shut bike taxi service |url=https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/mumbai/other/rto-asks-rapido-to-shut-bike-taxi-service/articleshow/79031564.cms |access-date=28 December 2020 |work=Mumbai Mirror |language=en}}</ref>

In January 2022, [[Regional Transport Office|RTO]] officials in Bangalore seized over 120 Rapido bikes, after receiving complaints from the city's cab and auto rickshaw unions.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mathew Philip |first1=Christin |title=120 bike-taxis seized in four hours in Bengaluru, Rapido cries foul |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/bengaluru-120-bike-taxis-seized-in-four-hours-rapido-cries-foul/articleshow/89255271.cms |access-date=29 April 2022 |work=The Times of India |date=1 February 2022 |language=en}}</ref> In February 2022, [[Pune]] RTO officials seized 65 motorbikes belonging to Rapido riders, declaring bike taxi operations to be illegal in the state of [[Maharashtra]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Pune RTO Seizes 65 Motorcycles Being Used For Bike Taxi By Rapido |url=https://www.punekarnews.in/pune-rto-seizes-65-motorcycles-being-used-for-bike-taxi-by-rapido/ |access-date=29 April 2022 |work=Punekar News |date=5 February 2022}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:2015 establishments in Karnataka]]
[[Category:Online companies of India]]
[[Category:Indian companies established in 2015]]
[[Category:Companies based in Bengaluru]]
[[Category:Ridesharing companies of India]]
[[Category:Companies of India]]

Rapido (company) - Revision history

Joseph Patricio: Made The Details V1