InDrive, identified for its bidding-based ride-hailing mannequin throughout Asia and Latin America, is rolling out a “super-app” technique geared toward frontier markets — increasing past cabs to ship day by day necessities to its customers.
Starting with grocery deliveries in Kazakhstan, InDrive plans to develop into a number of verticals over the following 12 months throughout its high markets, together with Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Pakistan, Peru, and Mexico. The shift comes on the heels of greater than 360 million app downloads and 6.5 billion transactions globally, cementing its place because the world’s second most-downloaded ride-hailing app, behind Uber, since 2022.
“If prospects use you extra continuously, then, after all, they keep longer, they’re extra priceless within the ecosystem, they usually’re simply extra loyal total,” mentioned Andries Smit, chief progress enterprise officer at InDrive, in an unique interview.
InDrive selected grocery supply as its first enlargement transfer after seeing fast progress in its supply section — with over 41 million orders accomplished worldwide in 2024 and greater than 14 million in Q2 2025 alone — making it one of many fastest-scaling classes within the firm’s portfolio.
The Mountain View, California-based firm has launched its grocery supply service in Kazakhstan, providing over 5,000 merchandise with a 15-minute supply promise. Early pilots within the Central Asian nation yielded a web promoter rating of 83% — signaling excessive buyer satisfaction — and a mean of 5 grocery orders per person monthly, the corporate mentioned.
Smit informed TechCrunch that InDrive is utilizing a darkish retailer mannequin for grocery deliveries in Kazakhstan, with most objects targeted on ready-to-eat meals and round 10% consisting of contemporary merchandise — a part of a technique to spice up buyer retention. He added that the mannequin will fluctuate in different areas, the place the corporate is open to partnering regionally, notably in markets with a dense community of mom-and-pop shops.
With out sharing specifics, Smit mentioned that the corporate has added 30% extra darkish shops within the nation since August.
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Why is Kazakhstan the primary market?
InDrive presently operates in 982 cities throughout 48 international locations globally and leads in eight of them. However then why has it picked Kazakhstan as the primary marketplace for its super-app transfer?
Smit informed TechCrunch that the corporate determined to take action after seeing a “large uptick” in shoppers going digital within the nation, which is the biggest economic system throughout Central Asia. InDrive additionally has its largest headcount in Kazakhstan, serving as a central hub for its R&D and operations.
InDrive didn’t disclose particular progress metrics for its operations in Kazakhstan. Nevertheless, a current report by Dealroom, revealed in collaboration with the government-backed tech park Astana Hub, noted that the corporate noticed a 44% progress within the nation over the previous 12 months.
The report additionally valued Kazakhstan’s tech ecosystem at $26 billion — an 18-fold leap since 2019 — suggesting a pointy rise in native startup formation, funding, and digital companies.
Kazakhstan already has grocery supply apps to satisfy among the demand. Nonetheless, InDrive desires to win the market predominantly with reasonably priced pricing — aiming to be the Aldi of on-line groceries.
“There may be entry and inequality, and even entry points with among the groceries,” mentioned Smit. “A few of our cost-conscious shoppers find yourself not shopping for from the suitable locations or not shopping for the suitable items, they usually acknowledge that, however they really feel they haven’t any different alternative.”
InDrive’s super-app: a differentiator or déjà vu
Many firms have tried to succeed with tremendous apps. Whereas some, like WeChat and Gojek, have discovered success, others — together with Meta — have struggled to gain traction.
Smit, who labored with WeChat in his former function in 2016, skilled how the built-in expertise on the Chinese language app labored effectively. He informed TechCrunch that, by leveraging his experience and using AI capabilities, InDrive plans to make its super-app technique profitable. The AI integration would assist carry personalization to customers and make companies accessible to individuals with disabilities and people with decrease literacy, he mentioned.
In November 2023, InDrive introduced a enterprise and merger and acquisition arm to speculate as much as $100 million over the following few years. Smit informed TechCrunch that of that enterprise, about 30% has already been deployed on the super-app technique.
The corporate invested in Pakistan’s grocery startup, Krave Mart, in December as a part of that enterprise. Nevertheless, there isn’t a concrete timeline on when InDrive’s app will supply grocery deliveries to customers in Pakistan.
InDrive’s arch-rival Uber has additionally expanded its service portfolio, including verticals like meals supply by way of Uber Eats in choose markets. Smit mentioned InDrive targets a distinct buyer section — one which Uber sometimes doesn’t serve — although there’s some overlap in sure areas.
“By and huge, we actually assist and play right into a cost-conscious client,” he mentioned.
India as a “puzzle” market
Along with frontier markets together with Kazakhstan, InDrive has been working in India for a while, competing with Uber in addition to homegrown gamers resembling Ola and Rapido. Nevertheless, the corporate has not picked up within the South Asian nation. Uber even piloted a model of InDrive’s bidding mannequin in India, trying to duplicate the method.
Knowledge from Appfigures completely shared with TechCrunch reveals that InDrive noticed 1.07 million fewer downloads year-to-date in comparison with the identical interval in 2024 — a 22.6% decline. In distinction, Uber added 8.02 million downloads, up 60.6%, whereas Ola gained 1.55 million, a 13.2% enhance. Rapido emerged because the fastest-growing participant, with 14.9 million further downloads — an 80.9% surge.
“India is a puzzle for us,” Smit informed TechCrunch. “India remains to be rising, and we’re targeted… we’ve determined to focus in a short time on key cities the place we actually suppose we need to function strongly.”
The corporate is testing totally different fashions, particularly within the freight enterprise, although it’s identified for permitting riders to haggle with drivers. These embody totally different cost mechanisms for drivers to receives a commission day by day and even go together with a particular take fee, Smit mentioned.
InDrive confronted early challenges and noticed restricted success at first — even in markets like Pakistan, the place it later grew to become the main ride-hailing platform following Uber’s exit.
“We’ve had sleeper markets the place the markets kind of drifted, after which for no matter case, perhaps one of many rivals falters,” Smit mentioned.
Greater than a dozen riders and drivers in India informed TechCrunch that security considerations have been a key purpose they now not favor utilizing InDrive. Some drivers mentioned the app’s bidding mannequin had been exploited by riders — and, in some instances, even by fellow drivers posing as riders to trouble their friends by aggressively haggling.
Smit mentioned that the corporate prioritizes security and customer support.
“Sure, we have to do much more in speaking to this security notion and in educating and educating our drivers and passengers,” he mentioned.
Subsequent verticals in plans
InDrive plans to develop its super-app providing by launching new companies tailor-made to native market wants. Smit informed TechCrunch that these might embody monetary companies. One instance is already stay in markets together with Brazil and Mexico, the place drivers can access small loans through the ride-hailing app. The corporate is exploring methods to increase this to passengers — and doubtlessly to small companies concerned in deliveries, the chief added.
The corporate additionally plans to discover a service that permits micro-mobility, permitting its shoppers to attach with native companies and public transportation companies.
“We need to be city-specific, and it might be a bouquet of various companies,” Smit mentioned. “We need to seize the important thing verticals that we’ve functionality for, that we all know and are very near our core… But when we’ve no expertise in operating, for these sorts of companies, we will certainly simply companion with the suitable participant.”