In this hustling world, when you are always on the go, your companion for finding you “desi uber”- the auto-rickshaw, becomes easier with Jugnoo. These auto-rickshaws add sparks of fun to your usually not-so-fun rides.
The “What” In Jugnoo Startup
The startup Jugnoo based in Chandigarh is India’s biggest auto-rickshaw aggregator which was founded in 2014 by Samar Singla and Chinmay Agarwal. The company is also famously known as “Sawari India Ki”.
Jugnoo thrives on an expansive network of locally available auto-rickshaws. Jugnoo was never initiated as a startup, rather it was an experiment executed during a college fest to carry passengers from one location to another.
When it succeeded, it took the form of a business to organize the highly unorganized sector of auto-rickshaws. The auto-rickshaws are a prominent mode of transportation in tier 2 and tier 3 places, but at the same time, they aren’t properly utilized.
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According to research conducted by Jugnoo, there are 5 million auto-rickshaws in India however, their utilization is just 30%. Hence, Jugnoo’s vision lies in taking their utilization to 70% by optimum utilization of the auto-rickshaws.
The “How” In Jugnoo Startup
As the startup began as an experiment, the idea soon picked up when Samar and Chinmay realized the potential in this sector. Hence, the duo began connecting with auto-rickshaw drivers and customers and the startup began rolling.
The initial challenge they faced was to make the drivers accustomed to the working of the company as they weren’t accustomed to even the basics of technology. Hence, it was difficult to explain the working of the company to the drivers.
As it is said “change is difficult”, similarly the drivers weren’t ready to accept that it will be beneficial for them as they were comfortable with what was happening and didn’t want any change.
But, sooner or later the drivers understood the working and the fact that it was meant for their own benefit. Hence, more and more people started joining the company and the duo’s hard work started reaping its benefits.
Growth Of Jugnoo
Soon, Jugnoo became popular and well known and started getting investors for its company. It raised USD 1 million through its investors like Junglee Flywheel, BCG Group, Rapportive, and Kirloskar Bros.
In the first 7 months itself, the startup gained 80,000 users. The company got 80% of its total revenue from the deliveries and bookings made by the auto-rickshaw drivers and started earning more than Rs. 1500 daily.
Jugnoo has continued to elevate since then and has its branches in other cities as well, with hundreds of drivers employed from each city. Now, it has 5 million registered users and 12,000 auto-rickshaw drivers.
Unlike other startups, Jugnoo wanted to remain just in tier 2 and tier 3 places as 80% of the population resided in these places. At present, the company has employed over 1000 people spread across 35 cities and earns more than 50,000 transactions per day.
Image Source: Google
Source: EStartup Story, Your Tech Story, Startup Talky
Connect with the blogger: Palak Dogra
This post is tagged under: tier 2 startups, tier 3 startups, rural startups, startups from tier 2 cities, startups from rural India, small-town startups, small city startups, India, indian startups, startup india, new startups, top startups in india, best startups in india, startups in bangalore, intech startups, funding for startups, what are startups, startups in delhi, top 10 startups in india, how to invest in startups
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