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.