Dealflow | March 29, 2017

Driver-owned ride-sharing startup to challenge Uber and Ola in Bangalore

ImpactAlpha
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ImpactAlpha

Last month, strikes by Uber and Ola driver unions in Delhi demanding better job perks and accident insurance roiled India’s on-demand ride market.

Bangalore-based driver unions have taken matters into their own hands and raised more than $300,000 to launch their own service, HDK Cabs, next month.

Their backer: HD Kumaraswamy, former chief minister of the state of Karnataka, who says his investment in the company could grow. “The app is not being developed for commercial reasons,” Kumaraswamy told the Economic Times. “Drivers were helpless when the state government showed no interest to resolve the issue.”

Delhi-based union drivers also have launched an app-based taxi-hailing service, SEWA, and plan to be operational early next month.

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Photo credit: Hindustan Times