HeyTaxi!: A Two-Wheeler Solution for Mumbai’s Traffic Woes

Description

In June 2015, two entrepreneurs launched HeyTaxi!, a start-up venture that used motorbike and scooter taxis in Mumbai. The goal was to reduce the time, effort, and money spent by citizens on commuting. But the entrepreneurs faced a problem of survival and sustainability: the government authorities refused to issue a licence for the bike-taxi service. The venture was favoured by citizens who used its services, but HeyTaxi! was limited to marketing its service not as a legitimate taxi service but as a ride-sharing service. HeyTaxi! was fulfilling a social need, and customer loyalty was fuelling the venture’s journey, but the absence of regulatory permits put the longevity of HeyTaxi! at risk. Concerns about HeyTaxi!’s future needed to be addressed to ensure the venture’s survival, scalability, and sustainability.

Learning Objective

This case is ideal for courses in entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship, or venture development at the graduate level. After completion of this case, students will be able to do the following: ·Understand the business drivers that contribute to the inception of a start-up ·Identify the characteristics of an entrepreneur and social entrepreneur ·Map the life cycle of a venture and identify the strategies adopted by the entrepreneur at each stage ·Identify the risks and risk mitigation strategies adopted by the entrepreneur

Keywords

business drivers Disruption Entrepreneurship limousine services parcel delivery ridesharing strategies taxis