Bengaluru-based Taxi Start-up Rapido Raises US$55 million in Series C round of funding led by WestBridge Capital & Others Rapido Raises US$55 million in Series C round of funding led by WestBridge Capital & Others

By Bhavya Kaushal

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

Facebook

As Indians, we were beginning to think that perhaps the era of taxis and autos are gone with a new era gliding into the Indian ecosystem with Ubers and Olas. We could be wrong as India is not yet done with these primary modes of transport that have adorned India's transportation context for years.

Investors, too, are not yet done as the latest start-up to bag funding is none other than Bengaluru-based Bike-Taxi start-up, Rapido which raised US$55 million in Series C round of funding led by WestBridge Capital and also saw participation from existing investors including Nexus Venture Partners, Ant Financial-backed BAce Fund, Astrend India Investment Limited, and others, media reports suggest.

Rapido joins the bandwagon of startups excelling in the mobility space including Bounce, Yulu Bikes, Vogo etc.

Rapido which was founded in 2015 by Pavan Guntupalli, Aravind Sanka, Rishikesh S R is available on Android and currently operates in 12 cities including Delhi, Gurugram, Bengaluru, Hyderabad.

The mobility start-up has been storming waves of controversy for some time now. Less than a month ago, the Madras High Court had sent out a notice halting its operations after facing objections from the Tamil Nadu. Cab aggregator unicorn, Ola, faced the same fate ealier this year. It all started on March 22, with Ola getting banned in Karnataka on the grounds of violating licensing conditions. Three days later, the ban was lifted and the cab aggregator's parent company, ANI Technologies was imposed with the fine of INR 15 lakhs. According to media reports, the company had filed a petition challenging the ban and the fine.

On the other hand, start-ups like Bounce and Vogo have been flourishing with investors pumping big money into these start-ups. Most recently, Bounce raised $72 million in Series B round of funding led by B Capital and Falcon Edge.

Bhavya Kaushal

Former Features Writer

I am a work-in-progress writer and human being. An English graduate from Delhi University, writing is my passion and currently, I was Entrepreneur India's start-up reporter. I love covering start-ups and weaving their stories into unforgettable tales with the power of ink! 
Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Leadership

Is Desire Sabotaging Your Leadership? Here's How to Build Sustainable Success Beyond the Endless Chase For More

Leadership starts with understanding the forces driving us. Discover how embracing courage and logic over fleeting wants paves the way for a more fulfilling and impactful leadership style.

Making a Change

Hot Tip: StackSocial Just Dropped the Price of a Babbel Lifetime Subscription

You can't become part of the global market if you can only talk to your neighbors.

Side Hustle

'I Was Called Crazy': This 27-Year-Old's Side Hustle Hit $30,000 a Month in Under a Year — Now It's Worth Millions

Changing regulations forced Angel Rodriguez's jet ski rental company to shut down, and the young entrepreneur had to figure out his next move — fast.

Science & Technology

Want to Make Money With AI? Here Are Easy Steps to Unlock Explosive Profits in 2025

Learn to turn Google AI Studio into a profit-boosting machine with this three-step framework. Train AI to analyze data, uncover sales opportunities and maximize profits.

Marketing

5 Ways ChatGPT Will Impact Digital Marketing

ChatGPT is creating ripples across the digital landscape right now. Here are five ways it can benefit your ads, campaigns and marketing strategies.