‘Ola used to be our main rival...’: Uber CEO tells Nikhil Kamath who’s winning India now
When asked what advice he’d give young entrepreneurs in mobility or delivery, Khosrowshahi joked, “Don’t build anything like Uber because we’ll kick your ass.” Kamath quipped back, “You can buy us later.”
- Aug 24, 2025,
- Updated Aug 24, 2025 8:56 AM IST
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has named Rapido—not Ola—as the company’s toughest rival in India, signaling a major shake-up in the country’s ride-hailing hierarchy.
Speaking on the People by WTF podcast hosted by Zerodha cofounder Nikhil Kamath, Khosrowshahi said, “Ola used to be our main competition. Now, the tougher competition in India is Rapido.”
Rapido has rapidly grown its market presence across vehicle categories. In the four-wheeler segment, it now holds an estimated 20% market share—narrowing the gap with Ola’s 30%, while Uber leads with around 50%. Sources say Rapido continues to gain ground on both competitors.
The Hyderabad-based startup’s gross order value (GOV) surged to $1.25 billion in FY25, up from $500 million the previous year. The growth has been fueled by aggressive service expansion but has also come with high cash burn and mounting losses.
When asked what advice he’d give young entrepreneurs in mobility or delivery, Khosrowshahi joked, “Don’t build anything like Uber because we’ll kick your ass.” Kamath quipped back, “You can buy us later.”
Rapido recently resumed bike-taxi services in Bengaluru after the Karnataka High Court questioned the legality of the state government’s ban. Earlier this month, it also entered food delivery with a new service called Ownly, now live in select Bengaluru areas, where it aims to undercut Swiggy and Zomato with lower prices and flat delivery fees.
As Rapido pushes into both mobility and food delivery, it’s becoming a formidable player in India’s crowded tech landscape.
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has named Rapido—not Ola—as the company’s toughest rival in India, signaling a major shake-up in the country’s ride-hailing hierarchy.
Speaking on the People by WTF podcast hosted by Zerodha cofounder Nikhil Kamath, Khosrowshahi said, “Ola used to be our main competition. Now, the tougher competition in India is Rapido.”
Rapido has rapidly grown its market presence across vehicle categories. In the four-wheeler segment, it now holds an estimated 20% market share—narrowing the gap with Ola’s 30%, while Uber leads with around 50%. Sources say Rapido continues to gain ground on both competitors.
The Hyderabad-based startup’s gross order value (GOV) surged to $1.25 billion in FY25, up from $500 million the previous year. The growth has been fueled by aggressive service expansion but has also come with high cash burn and mounting losses.
When asked what advice he’d give young entrepreneurs in mobility or delivery, Khosrowshahi joked, “Don’t build anything like Uber because we’ll kick your ass.” Kamath quipped back, “You can buy us later.”
Rapido recently resumed bike-taxi services in Bengaluru after the Karnataka High Court questioned the legality of the state government’s ban. Earlier this month, it also entered food delivery with a new service called Ownly, now live in select Bengaluru areas, where it aims to undercut Swiggy and Zomato with lower prices and flat delivery fees.
As Rapido pushes into both mobility and food delivery, it’s becoming a formidable player in India’s crowded tech landscape.