How a Bengaluru-Bandipur weekend trip prompted Bhavish Aggarwal to set up Ola
The Trip That Sparked An Idea
In an account that has become a cornerstone of Ola’s origin story, Aggarwal, then an IIT-Bombay graduate, faced a significant setback during a trip with friends. The group had rented a car for their journey, but their driver abruptly abandoned them midway in Mysore, demanding additional payment. Left stranded, Aggarwal and his friends had to complete the rest of their journey by bus. This experience highlighted a glaring gap in the travel industry and ignited Aggarwal’s ambition to revolutionize it.
From Startup Struggles to Market Leader
Founded in 2011 by Aggarwal and his IIT-Bombay peer Ankit Bhati, Ola initially aimed to offer a platform for booking cabs for outstation trips. However, their early venture, Olatrips.com, which operated from a modest office in Mumbai’s Dreamz Mall, struggled to gain traction. This struggle was compounded by their initial misjudgment of market needs. It wasn't until they pivoted to focus on city travel and on-demand rides that they began to see success.
The turning point came with a $5 million investment from Tiger Global Management in 2012, marking the start of Ola’s transformation from a small startup into a major player in the ride-hailing industry. As Aggarwal recounted in an interview, his initial foray into the business world was marked by inexperience and a steep learning curve. “Back then, taxis were not glamorous,” he admitted. “I was just trying to make a few rides a day work.” His lack of business acumen was apparent during early funding
