Ride-hailing unicorn Rapido is set to introduce an all-women “Pink Rapido” bike taxi service in Karnataka by the end of 2025.
The upcoming service will cater exclusively to women commuters and will be operated by female drivers, aligning with the company’s broader push toward promoting safer and more inclusive mobility solutions.
The announcement was made by Rapido’s co-founder, Pavan Guntupalli, during the Global Investors Summit in Bengaluru. Addressing a query at the event, he stated, “Our goal is to create 25,000 job opportunities for women by introducing women captains on Rapido bikes. If a woman can travel safely with an unknown driver and reach her destination with ease, we consider that our success.”
Founded in 2015 by Aravind Sanka, Pavan Guntupalli, and Rishikesh SR, Rapido has grown into one of India’s leading bike taxi aggregators, operating in over 100 cities.
The company connects commuters with bike riders, known as captains, and has established itself as a reliable last-mile connectivity provider.
Emphasizing the broader vision behind the initiative, Guntupalli added, “We have implemented several safety measures to ensure a secure ride experience. Even women without advanced education or specialized skills are finding opportunities in nearby towns, which is a matter of pride for us. Around 35% of our workforce comes from smaller cities and towns.”
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Rapido’s latest move builds on its ‘Bike Pink’ pilot launched in Chennai in September 2023, which provided 25 electric bikes to underprivileged women drivers, along with driving and safety training in partnership with NGOs.
The service, which started with over 100 female drivers, aimed to expand to 500 drivers within three months, improving last-mile connectivity around women’s colleges.
The introduction of women-centric ride-hailing services is gradually expanding. In December 2024, Uber launched ‘Uber Moto Women’ in Bengaluru, offering an on-demand two-wheeler service that connects female drivers with female riders. The move was aimed at addressing safety concerns while enabling women to earn with flexibility.
Rapido significantly improved its financial performance in FY24, cutting its losses by over 45%—from INR 675 Cr in the previous fiscal year to INR 370 Cr.
Meanwhile, the company’s operating revenue surged 1.5x year-on-year, reaching INR 648.1 Cr.
Additionally, Rapido has reportedly raised INR 250 crore from Dutch investment firm Prosus as part of its ongoing Series E funding round, which is pegged at $200 million in total funding.
With this latest contribution, Rapido’s valuation now stands at approximately INR 8,726 crore (just over $1 billion).
