Entrepreneur Stories
OLA Cabs Success Story
Taking a can or hiring cars for cross city travels has always been a huge issue in the Indian society. Stuck in a similar situation, abandoned in the middle of the road by his cab driver, this young entrepreneur decided to take matters into his own hands. Homegrown cab aggregator startup Ola Cabs was born when Bhavish Aggarwal found himself in the middle of a trip from Bangalore to Bandipur, having a horrible experience.
Ola Cabs became the collective prodigy of Bhavish Aggarwal and Ankit Bhati, owned by ANI Technologies Pvt., Ltd. After a humble beginning in 2010, Ola became one of the fastest growing startups in India, beating its global rivals Uber and Meru Cabs. By 2014, the company spread to more than 100 cities pocketing a network of more than 200,000 cars. Clocking more than 150,000 bookings per day, Ola held over 60% of the market share in India. What started off as a cross city cab aggregator company soon launched mini cabs for city travel in Bangalore and Delhi NCR. With a base price of Rs.150 for the first six kilometers and an introductory price of Rs. 12 per kilometer, Ola became the cheapest AC cab services.
Till date, the company claims to have a user base of 125 million in India and a network of over one million driver-partners across 110 cities. The company has also raised close to $1.1 billion from investors, including Tencent and SoftBank.
Watch the amazing story of how Bhavish Agarwal and Ankit Bhati transformed the Indian cab rental industry here!
A decade ago, the success of a startup was measured largely by its ability to raise capital. Today, a different metric is gaining importance: the ability to generate meaningful exits for investors. Large stake sales by early backers are becoming increasingly common, not because growth opportunities have disappeared, but because India’s startup ecosystem is entering a more mature phase where capital is expected to complete its full cycle from investment to returns.
This evolution is particularly significant for consumer brands that have successfully blended technology, retail, and strong brand-building. Companies that were once viewed as high-risk startup bets are now attracting institutional investors capable of absorbing large transactions. Such developments indicate that these businesses are no longer being valued solely on future potential; they are increasingly being assessed on operational performance, market leadership, and long-term profitability. In many ways, investor exits are becoming a validation of a company’s ability to create lasting enterprise value.
The broader implication extends beyond a single company or investor. Successful exits encourage more global capital to enter India’s startup ecosystem because they demonstrate that liquidity opportunities exist at scale. As more venture-backed companies approach public listings, secondary transactions, or strategic investments, the focus of founders and investors alike may shift from chasing headline valuations to building durable businesses. The next chapter of India’s startup journey will likely be defined not just by the creation of unicorns, but by the creation of companies capable of delivering sustained returns to all stakeholders.
Apple has unveiled the new MacBook Air with M5 chip, starting at $999 for 13-inch and $1,299 for 15-inch models. The MacBook Air M5 boasts a 2nm M5 chip with 12-core CPU, 18-core GPU, and 50 TOPS Neural Engine for seamless AI tasks like real-time translation and 8K editing. Up to 22 hours of battery life, Thunderbolt 5, and Wi-Fi 7 make it the ultimate ultraportable, now 10% thinner at 0.44 inches with fanless cooling.
Key MacBook Air M5 features include Liquid Retina XDR display (500 nits, nano-texture option), 12MP Center Stage camera, and six-speaker Spatial Audio. Colors like new Sky Blue join Midnight and Starlight. Pre-orders are live today, with macOS Sequoia 15.4 enhancing Apple Intelligence and iPhone Continuity for students, pros, and remote workers.
Why buy MacBook Air M5 now? It outpaces Snapdragon X Elite rivals with ecosystem magic and future-proof performance, eyeing top 2026 laptop sales. CEO Tim Cook calls it “more capable than ever.” Visit apple.com for M5 MacBook deals and specs.
Delhi NCR-based gaming startup Zupee has acquired Mumbai-based microdrama platform Vertical TV in a deal valued under INR 40 Cr. This move strengthens Zupee Studio, its short-video arm launched in September 2025, by integrating Vertical TV’s expertise in bite-sized dramas like romance and thrillers.
Facing challenges from India’s 2025 real-money gaming ban, Zupee valued at $1 Bn after raising $120 Mn has pivoted to non-gaming content, including recent layoffs of 40% of its workforce. The acquisition builds on its November 2025 purchase of Australian AI firm Nucanon for interactive storytelling, targeting its 200 Mn+ users with engaging, mobile-first formats.
This deal underscores the rising microdrama trend in India, helping Zupee diversify amid regulatory pressures and compete in the short-video space dominated by quick, shareable content for on-the-go audiences.
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