Top 10 Gig Economy Startups in India
The gig economy in India has been rapidly growing, with numerous startups offering innovative services in various sectors. Here are ten prominent gig economy startups in India:
UrbanClap (now Urban Company):
- Sector: Home services
- Description: Provides various home services, including beauty, cleaning, plumbing, carpentry, and appliance repair, connecting customers with skilled professionals.
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | UrbanClap (rebranded as Urban Company) |
| Founded | 2014 |
| Founders | Abhiraj Bhal, Varun Khaitan, Raghav Chandra |
| Headquarters | Gurugram, Haryana, India |
| Industry | Home services |
| Services Offered | Beauty services, cleaning, plumbing, carpentry, electrical, appliance repair, painting, fitness, pest control, etc. |
| Business Model | Marketplace for home services, connecting customers with verified service professionals |
| Target Market | Urban households and individuals seeking professional home services |
| Platform | Mobile app (iOS and Android), Website |
| Revenue Model | Commission from service providers, service charges |
| Funding | Over $445 million from investors including Tiger Global Management, Steadview Capital, Vy Capital, Accel, and others |
| Competitors | Housejoy, TaskBob, Mr. Right, Handy (international) |
| Website | www.urbancompany.com |
| Achievements | – Rebranded to Urban Company in 2020 |
| Social Impact | Provides employment opportunities to thousands of gig workers across various sectors |
| Recent Developments | Expanded into new service categories, increased focus on safety and hygiene, particularly in the wake of COVID-19 |
This table gives a comprehensive overview of UrbanClap (Urban Company), highlighting its key attributes and contributions to the gig economy in India.
Swiggy:
- Sector: Food delivery
- Description: A leading food delivery platform that connects customers with local restaurants, offering quick and reliable delivery services through a large network of gig workers.
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Swiggy |
| Founded | 2014 |
| Founders | Sriharsha Majety, Nandan Reddy, Rahul Jaimini |
| Headquarters | Bangalore, Karnataka, India |
| Industry | Food delivery and on-demand convenience |
| Services Offered | Food delivery, Swiggy Genie (parcel delivery), Swiggy Instamart (grocery delivery), Meat delivery, Swiggy HealthHub |
| Business Model | Online platform connecting customers with restaurants and stores for food and other deliveries |
| Target Market | Urban households, office-goers, food enthusiasts, grocery shoppers |
| Platform | Mobile app (iOS and Android), Website |
| Revenue Model | Commission from restaurants, delivery charges, subscription services (Swiggy Super) |
| Funding | Over $2.7 billion from investors including Naspers, DST Global, Meituan-Dianping, Accel, and others |
| Competitors | Zomato, Dunzo, Amazon Fresh, BigBasket |
| Website | www.swiggy.com |
| Achievements | – Expanded operations to over 500 cities in India |
| Social Impact | Provides employment opportunities to thousands of delivery partners and supports local businesses |
| Recent Developments | – Enhanced safety and hygiene protocols due to COVID-19 |
This table provides a comprehensive overview of Swiggy, highlighting its key attributes and contributions to the gig economy and food delivery industry in India.
Zomato:
- Sector: Food delivery
- Description: Another major player in the food delivery space, Zomato connects users with restaurants and offers food delivery services using a vast fleet of gig workers.
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Zomato |
| Founded | 2008 |
| Founders | Deepinder Goyal, Pankaj Chaddah |
| Headquarters | Gurugram, Haryana, India |
| Industry | Food delivery and restaurant discovery |
| Services Offered | Food delivery, restaurant discovery, online ordering, table reservations, restaurant reviews |
| Business Model | Online platform connecting customers with restaurants for food delivery and dining services |
| Target Market | Urban households, office-goers, food enthusiasts |
| Platform | Mobile app (iOS and Android), Website |
| Revenue Model | Commission from restaurants, delivery charges, subscription services (Zomato Pro) |
| Funding | Over $2.1 billion from investors including Ant Financial, Info Edge, Sequoia Capital, Temasek, and others |
| Competitors | Swiggy, Uber Eats (until its acquisition by Zomato in India), Dunzo, FoodPanda (until it ceased operations in India) |
| Website | www.zomato.com |
| Achievements | – Acquired Uber Eats India in 2020 |
| Social Impact | Provides employment opportunities to thousands of delivery partners and restaurant workers |
| Recent Developments | – Increased focus on sustainability and reducing carbon footprint |
This table provides a comprehensive overview of Zomato, highlighting its key attributes and contributions to the gig economy and food delivery industry.
Dunzo:
- Sector: Hyperlocal delivery
- Description: Provides on-demand delivery services for groceries, packages, medicines, and more, utilizing gig workers to fulfill various delivery needs within cities.
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Dunzo |
| Founded | 2015 |
| Founders | Kabeer Biswas, Dalvir Suri, Ankur Aggarwal, Mukund Jha |
| Headquarters | Bangalore, Karnataka, India |
| Industry | Hyperlocal delivery |
| Services Offered | Parcel delivery, grocery delivery, medicine delivery, food delivery, pet supplies, pickup and drop, and other daily essentials |
| Business Model | On-demand delivery platform connecting users with delivery partners for various errands and deliveries |
| Target Market | Urban households, office-goers, small businesses |
| Platform | Mobile app (iOS and Android), Website |
| Revenue Model | Delivery charges, commission from partner stores, subscription services (Dunzo Plus) |
| Funding | Over $140 million from investors including Google, Blume Ventures, Lightbox, Alteria Capital, and others |
| Competitors | Swiggy Genie, Grofers, BigBasket, Amazon Fresh, Shadowfax |
| Website | www.dunzo.com |
| Achievements | – Expanded operations to multiple cities across India |
| Social Impact | Provides employment opportunities to thousands of gig workers and supports local businesses |
| Recent Developments | – Increased focus on safety and hygiene, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic |
This table provides a comprehensive overview of Dunzo, highlighting its key attributes and contributions to the gig economy and hyperlocal delivery sector in India.
Ola:
- Sector: Ride-hailing
- Description: A leading ride-hailing platform in India that offers transportation services through cars, bikes, and auto-rickshaws, employing numerous gig workers as drivers.
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Ola |
| Founded | 2010 |
| Founders | Bhavish Aggarwal, Ankit Bhati |
| Headquarters | Bangalore, Karnataka, India |
| Industry | Ride-hailing, Mobility services |
| Services Offered | Ride-hailing (cars, bikes, auto-rickshaws), Ola Electric, Ola Fleet, Ola Money (financial services), Ola Foods, Ola Corporate |
| Business Model | Online platform connecting customers with drivers for various transportation needs |
| Target Market | Urban commuters, office-goers, travelers |
| Platform | Mobile app (iOS and Android), Website |
| Revenue Model | Commission from drivers, ride fares, subscription services (Ola Select) |
| Funding | Over $4 billion from investors including SoftBank, Tiger Global, Tencent, Matrix Partners, and others |
| Competitors | Uber India, Meru Cabs, Rapido, Quick Ride |
| Website | www.olacabs.com |
| Achievements | – Expanded operations to over 250 cities in India and international markets like Australia, New Zealand, and the UK |
| Social Impact | Provides employment opportunities to thousands of drivers and supports sustainable mobility solutions |
| Recent Developments | – Increased focus on safety and hygiene protocols due to COVID-19 |
This table provides a comprehensive overview of Ola, highlighting its key attributes and contributions to the gig economy and mobility services in India.
Uber India:
- Sector: Ride-hailing
- Description: The Indian arm of the global ride-hailing giant Uber, offering similar services to Ola with a significant number of gig workers as drivers.
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Uber India |
| Parent Company | Uber Technologies, Inc. |
| Founded | 2013 (Uber launched in India) |
| Founders | Travis Kalanick, Garrett Camp |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, California, USA (Global); Regional offices in major Indian cities |
| Industry | Ride-hailing, Mobility services |
| Services Offered | Ride-hailing (UberX, UberGO, UberPOOL, UberXL), UberAUTO, UberMOTO, Uber Intercity, Uber Rentals, Uber Connect (package delivery) |
| Business Model | Online platform connecting customers with drivers for various transportation needs |
| Target Market | Urban commuters, office-goers, travelers |
| Platform | Mobile app (iOS and Android), Website |
| Revenue Model | Commission from drivers, ride fares, service fees |
| Funding | Part of Uber Technologies, Inc., which has raised over $25 billion globally from investors including SoftBank, Benchmark Capital, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, and others |
| Competitors | Ola, Meru Cabs, Rapido |
| Website | www.uber.com |
| Achievements | – Expanded operations to over 40 cities in India |
| Social Impact | Provides employment opportunities to thousands of drivers and offers convenient transportation options |
| Recent Developments | – Enhanced safety and hygiene protocols due to COVID-19 |
This table provides a comprehensive overview of Uber India, highlighting its key attributes and contributions to the gig economy and mobility services in the country.
Housejoy:
- Sector: Home services
- Description: Provides a wide range of home services, including cleaning, plumbing, electrical, and beauty services, connecting customers with skilled professionals on a gig basis.
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Housejoy |
| Founded | 2015 |
| Founders | Arjun Kumar, Sunil Goel |
| Headquarters | Bangalore, Karnataka, India |
| Industry | Home services |
| Services Offered | Home cleaning, plumbing, electrical, carpentry, appliance repair, painting, beauty services, home renovation, pest control, fitness training, at-home COVID-19 testing |
| Business Model | Marketplace for home services, connecting customers with verified service professionals |
| Target Market | Urban households and individuals seeking professional home services |
| Platform | Mobile app (iOS and Android), Website |
| Revenue Model | Commission from service providers, service charges |
| Funding | Over $30 million from investors including Amazon, Matrix Partners, Vertex Ventures, Qualcomm Ventures, and others |
| Competitors | UrbanClap (Urban Company), TaskBob, Mr. Right |
| Website | www.housejoy.in |
| Achievements | – Expanded services to multiple cities across India |
| Social Impact | Provides employment opportunities to thousands of gig workers across various sectors |
| Recent Developments | – Increased focus on safety and hygiene protocols due to COVID-19 |
This table provides a comprehensive overview of Housejoy, highlighting its key attributes and contributions to the gig economy and home services sector in India.
GigIndia:
- Sector: Freelance work
- Description: A platform that connects companies with gig workers for various tasks such as marketing, sales, surveys, and more, catering to both short-term and long-term gig work.
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | GigIndia |
| Founded | 2017 |
| Founders | Sahil Sharma, Aditya Kulkarni |
| Headquarters | Pune, Maharashtra, India |
| Industry | Freelance work, Gig economy |
| Services Offered | Marketing, sales, lead generation, surveys, content creation, data entry, app testing, customer support |
| Business Model | Platform connecting companies with gig workers for short-term and long-term tasks |
| Target Market | Businesses seeking flexible workforce solutions, freelancers |
| Platform | Mobile app (iOS and Android), Website |
| Revenue Model | Service fees from businesses, subscription charges |
| Funding | Raised undisclosed amounts from investors including Incubate Fund India and Beyond Next Ventures |
| Competitors | TaskRabbit, Upwork, Freelancer, Flexing It |
| Website | www.gigindia.in |
| Achievements | – Facilitated over a million tasks for businesses |
| Social Impact | Provides flexible work opportunities to freelancers and students |
| Recent Developments | – Expanded service offerings to include more diverse and specialized tasks |
This table provides a comprehensive overview of GigIndia, highlighting its key attributes and contributions to the gig economy and freelance work sector in India.
TaskBob:
- Sector: Home services
- Description: Offers on-demand home services including cleaning, repairs, and maintenance, connecting users with verified service professionals.
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | TaskBob |
| Founded | 2014 |
| Founders | Aseem Khare, Abhiroop Medhekar, Ajay Bhatt |
| Headquarters | Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Industry | Home services |
| Services Offered | Home cleaning, plumbing, electrical, carpentry, appliance repair, painting, pest control, beauty services |
| Business Model | Marketplace for on-demand home services, connecting customers with verified service professionals |
| Target Market | Urban households and individuals seeking professional home services |
| Platform | Mobile app (iOS and Android), Website |
| Revenue Model | Commission from service providers, service charges |
| Funding | Raised undisclosed funding from investors |
| Competitors | UrbanClap (Urban Company), Housejoy, Mr. Right |
| Website | No longer operational |
| Achievements | – Established a strong presence in Mumbai and nearby regions |
| Social Impact | Provided employment opportunities to service professionals and supported local economies |
| Recent Developments | – TaskBob ceased operations and was acquired by UrbanClap (now Urban Company) in 2016 |
TaskBob, although no longer operational as an independent entity, played a significant role in the home services sector in India before its acquisition by UrbanClap (Urban Company).
Near.Store:
- Sector: Retail and logistics
- Description: Helps local kirana stores (small retail shops) go digital and provides delivery services through gig workers, enhancing the efficiency and reach of traditional retail stores.
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Near.Store |
| Founded | 2020 |
| Founders | Ankur Dahiya, Akshay Khanna |
| Headquarters | Gurgaon, Haryana, India |
| Industry | Retail and logistics |
| Services Offered | Digitizing local retail stores, enabling online ordering and delivery from nearby stores |
| Business Model | Platform connecting local kirana stores (small retail shops) with customers for online ordering and delivery |
| Target Market | Urban and suburban residents looking for quick delivery of groceries and essentials |
| Platform | Mobile app (iOS and Android), Website |
| Revenue Model | Commission from local stores, delivery charges |
| Funding | Raised undisclosed funding from investors |
| Competitors | Grofers, BigBasket, Amazon Fresh, Dunzo |
| Website | www.near.store |
| Achievements | – Expanded operations to serve multiple cities across India |
| Social Impact | Improved accessibility to essential goods for urban residents; supported local retail businesses |
| Recent Developments | – Enhanced user interface and added more features for better customer experience |
This table provides a comprehensive overview of Near.Store, highlighting its key attributes and contributions to digitizing local retail and improving delivery services in India.
