The Last Mile Mate: Uttam Digga, Co-founder, Porter The start-up has served over 1.5 crore customers. It has 7.5+ lakh driver-partners on board and is present in 20+ cities across India

When Uttam Digga co-founded Porter, the logistics market stood at only USD 25 billion. The intra city logistics industry was a highly fragmented market with low asset utilization and poor service levels. Vehicles which had the potential to make five trips per day were used only once or twice every day. "As we spoke to more and more stakeholders, our conviction in our thesis grew. There was potential to create a high-impact solution through tech intervention and, in the process, an opportunity to create a meaningful difference in the lives of LCV truckers (Light Commercial Vehicle truckers), who are the bottommost within the socio-economic strata," said Digga, an IIT Kharagpur alumni and a former Equity Researcher with JP Morgan.

Digga tells that over their journey, the importance and meaning of a delivery to each of our stakeholders has evolved. "For an SME, a completed delivery adds trust to their business and helps them grow. For a retail customer, a delivery brings happiness and joy. For our driverpartners, a delivery is their livelihood and the key to living a dignified life. Each package is more than just a delivery to us; it is an opportunity to make a difference. Our unique marketplace results in massive benefits to all stakeholders. Drivers earn 40% more, customers save 20% on logistics costs, and have a better experience with lower wait times and higher availability."

The start-up has served over 1.5 crore customers. It has 7.5+ lakh driver-partners on board and is present in 20+ cities across India. "Our offerings expanded to cover a diverse range of services - we went from enabling on-demand trucks and bikes to offering house shifting services through Porter Packers & Movers and intercity couriers through Porter Intercity." 2023 was an important year for the start-up. It ventured internationally (UAE), driven by the demand from users in the region who are actively seeking reliable, seamless and costeffective logistics. "The country's strategic location, world-class infrastructure, business-friendly policies, and cultural similarities made it an ideal market for us to offer our services and establish strong global connections.2023 was also a year of reinvention for us. We refined the Porter Culture by introducing User Obsession, a key core value guiding every decision we make."

So, has the company attained break-even yet? "Our mature markets and businesses are already in green and are contributing positively to our bottom line. Breaking even is a choice - we can achieve profitability immediately. That said, it is a deliberate choice on our part to invest in certain strategic areas in order to create significant business value." The startup's next aim is to add new services and identify gaps we can fill, penetrating deeper into our existing markets.

FACTSHEET:

No. Of Co-founders: 3

No. Of Employees : 2600

Year Of Inception: 2014