Tired of switching between Ola, Uber, Rapido? This 1-month-old Indian startup says "Just Bob It"

Every urban commuter in India knows the drill.

You open Ola, check prices. You switch to Uber, see if it’s cheaper. Maybe you try Rapido for a bike ride or Namma Yatri for an auto. By the time you’ve juggled between apps, fares have changed or the ride is gone.

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Add to that the constant struggle of limited phone storage, and the routine becomes a daily frustration.

For Jai Adithya Poorana, this wasn’t just a minor inconvenience. As a student at Christ University, he commuted nearly 25 kilometers one way, often during peak hours. Booking an auto meant bouncing between apps and even web apps when his phone couldn’t hold them all.

“It was painful and hard on the wallet,” he recalls.

The challenge lingered since school days, but in university it reached a breaking point. That personal struggle laid the foundation for Bob Rides, a smart mobility aggregator that promises to make ride booking seamless.

Jai wasn’t new to entrepreneurship. Before Bob, he had already scaled a company to a valuation of Rs 41 crore, sharpening his instincts for efficiency and execution.

That experience gave him clarity when it came to building Bob with less trial and error, and more focus on solving the right problem at scale.

The solution he built

Bob Rides is not another Ola or Uber competitor. Instead, it is an aggregator of aggregators. The app integrates major platforms, Ola, Uber, Rapido, Namma Yatri, and more, into a single, easy-to-use interface.

Think of it as Skyscanner for rides but simpler, more convenient, and with one big advantage: users don’t need to leave the app to book. Everything happens within Bob.

Here’s how it works: once users download the app and create an account, they enter their drop location. Instantly, Bob displays all available options such as autos, bikes, and cabs side by side. A simple tap on “Just Bob It” confirms the booking. The ride arrives without the need to open multiple apps or re-enter details.

On the technology side, Bob uses React Native with Express and Node.js to power real-time integrations. Its architecture supports connections with private mobility networks and the Indian government-backed Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), ensuring transparent fares and reliable availability.

The startup also built in privacy protocols, sharing only pickup and drop points with partner operators, while keeping sensitive information like payment details encrypted and within Bob’s system.

Co-founder and CTO Ansh Arora brought in the technical leadership. An AWS-certified cloud practitioner, he had previously built a social media platform for developers.

For him, Bob offered a chance to “build for a real problem,” and his collaboration with Jai gave the founding team the right mix of business vision and tech expertise.

“I had developed and led teams and events during college, but always wanted to build for a real problem, cherry on top. Jai was just the right chemistry I needed all along to build and grow something like this,” he tells IndianStartupNews.

In a business like Bob, partnerships are central to its strategy. The startup is working with Nagara metered autos, reviving India’s familiar Rs 18/km auto rides within the app

“It’s a supply and demand issue,” Jai explains. “Bringing in more partners helps us serve commuters better while giving drivers fairer opportunities.”

Entering the crowded market

Needless to say, India’s ride-hailing sector is crowded. Ola and Uber dominate, Rapido has carved a niche in bike taxis, and Namma Yatri has made waves in Bengaluru’s auto market.

But Bob positions itself differently.

“We can’t be compared to Ola or Uber,” Jai insists. “We complement them. There isn’t a feasible solution like Bob in the market right now.”

The numbers suggest strong early adoption. Launched on September 1, Bob has already attracted 8,000+ users, with around 5,000 daily active users. The app is technically live across India but is currently focusing on Bengaluru, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Delhi in its first growth phase.

The startup is also testing new verticals. A hyperlocal delivery feature called ‘Parcels’ is in beta and will roll out to users over the next few months.

Unlike the existing dominant players, Bob is taking a sharper approach, focusing on a specific segment of users in the market. These include college students, working professionals, and urban families, basically anyone who uses multiple ride-hailing apps.

For drivers and operators, the startup promises a more efficient ecosystem, reducing wasted trips and providing visibility to smaller players like local cab operators.

The business model

Bob’s growth is powered by a lean but clear business model. At present, it earns revenue through partnerships with ride-hailing providers, who pay for rides booked via the app.

Soon, the startup will introduce a “Fastest Ride” feature, which bypasses unreliable ETA estimates by analysing real-time conditions to get users the quickest option.

For this, it plans to charge a Rs 3-5 convenience fee but only if the feature is used. A small stream of advertising revenue is also expected down the line.

According to Jai, this model benefits everyone. Users get quicker bookings and transparent comparisons, while drivers reduce idle time and unnecessary travel. Smaller operators, too, gain visibility and a chance to compete in a market dominated by giants.

On funding, Bob has so far relied on bootstrapping and grant support. Selected by programs from Microsoft, Google, and Amazon, the startup received around $300,000 in credits and money grants, giving it a runway of about 10 months.

For now, Jai and Ansh are cautious about raising external funding.

“We have investors interested, but we want to hit a few targets before opening a round,” Jai notes.

Jai said the new capital will be used to expand into more cities, accelerate growth, increase revenue, and launch new initiatives. Beyond parcel deliveries, Bob also plans to expand into categories such as shows and events, food delivery and dine-in, and quick commerce, spaces already dominated by large players like Zomato, BookMyShow, and Zepto.

Aiming to become India's mobility super app

Bob’s long-term vision goes far beyond aggregating rides. The startup wants to become India’s “hyper mobility super app”, a one-stop access point not just for cabs and autos but for logistics, local deliveries, food, events, and even quick commerce.

The founders believe that aligning with ONDC and adhering to city transport policies will be key to this expansion.

“Everyone needs to abide and work with the transport policies,” Jai says. “By working with ONDC, we know we’re one step closer to giving our users the best service while strengthening the ecosystem.”

“We want to ensure that the app makes your everyday life and activities more efficient, accessible and provide a frictionless experience,” Jai adds.