Indian ride-hailing startup BluSmart has made its grand entrance into the bustling city of Dubai, setting the stage for a fierce competition with industry giants like Careem, Uber, and Hala. The news of BluSmart’s expansion to Dubai was exclusively revealed to TechCrunch, confirming rumors that have been circulating for months.
The startup quietly rolled out its services in Dubai earlier this week, with a fleet of 100 Audi E-Tron SUVs and 130 drivers hitting the streets. BluSmart co-founder Anmol Jaggi disclosed that the pilot phase began on Tuesday, with plans for an official launch scheduled for early June.
BluSmart’s foray into Dubai comes after months of strategic planning, with sources indicating that the startup had been eyeing the market since early 2023. Despite initial denials from BluSmart’s CBO Tushar Garg, co-founder Punit Goyal later confirmed the company’s intentions to expand to Abu Dhabi and Dubai by the end of last year.
With a strong backing from investors like BP Ventures and Mayfield India Fund, BluSmart has rapidly grown its presence in India, starting with an EV fleet in Gurugram and Delhi before expanding to Bengaluru in 2022. The startup recently secured a $25 million investment to bolster its charging infrastructure, further solidifying its position in the market.
BluSmart’s impressive growth trajectory was highlighted by a 102% increase in its annual run rate, reaching $60 million. With a fleet of over 7,300 EVs covering millions of miles, BluSmart aims to expand its reach to 10,000 vehicles by the end of 2024, setting the stage for an electrifying ride-hailing experience in Dubai and beyond.