IntrCity SmartBus, jo intercity bus travel sector mein ek bada naam hai, ne apni Series D funding round ko successfully complete kar liya hai, jisme INR 250 crore (around $28.3 million) ki funding mili hai. Is round ko venture capital firm A91 Partners ne lead kiya hai.
IntrCity ke co-founder Kapil Raizada ne bataya ki yeh naya fund primarily startup ke existing bus network ko expand karne ke liye use hoga, jo abhi 15 states mein spread hai. IntrCity ka aim in regions ke andar aur baahar bhi apni pahunch badhana hai.
A portion of the investment will also be allocated to crucial operational enhancements. Ismein IntrCity ke proprietary fleet management platform ko upgrade karna, travelers ke liye overall customer experience ko improve karna, aur tier II aur tier III cities ko bhi service mein include karna shamil hai, taaki zyada logon tak pahunch saken.
2019 mein Kapil Raizada aur Manish Rathi dwara start ki gayi IntrCity, ek bus aggregator model par kaam karti hai, jo 630 se zyada routes par long-distance bus services manage karti hai. Company, apni parent Stelling Technologies ke tehet, RailYatri bhi run karti hai, jo train tickets booking ka platform hai.
Abhi IntrCity lagbhag 600 buses ke saath operate kar rahi hai aur FlixBus, LeafyBus, Zingbus, redBus, aur ixigo-backed gogoBus jaise doosre bade bus aggregators se compete karti hai. Startup ne agle do saalon mein apni fleet size double karne ki ambitious plans rakhi hain.
Yeh funding February 2024 mein hui Series C round ke baad aayi hai, jisme IntrCity ne Mirabilis Investment Trust se INR 37 crore raise kiye the. Iske investors mein Samsung Venture Investment Corporation, Nandan Nilekani’s family trust, Omidyar Network India, aur Blume Ventures jaise bade naam shamil hain.
Financials ke hisab se, IntrCity ne mazboot growth dikhai hai, jisme revenue FY25 mein INR 500 crore ho gaya hai, jo pichhle fiscal year ke INR 300 crore se zyada hai. Raizada ko umeed hai ki yeh growth continue rahegi, aur projected revenues current fiscal year mein INR 700 crore se exceed karengi, jo profitable aur organic expansion ko darshata hai.
Impact: Is mahatvapurna funding round ne IntrCity ke liye intercity bus travel market mein investor confidence ko aur badhaya hai, jo badhti hui disposable incomes aur tourism ki wajah se chal raha hai. Yeh capital IntrCity ko apni competitive position mazboot karne, service quality enhance karne, aur reach expand karne mein madad karega, jiska asar India ke broader transportation aur logistics sector par bhi pad sakta hai. Yeh khabar mobility startups ke liye ek healthy ecosystem ko indicate karti hai.