Samarth Kholkar and Sandeep Mukherjee, mates for over 20 years, met in Pune earlier than they began their MBA course.
Sandeep went on to work within the international advertising planning and technique operate at Nokia’s headquarters in Espoo, Finland and later took up an identical function at Microsoft. Samarth, in the meantime, began working for an organization in Goa and later joined IBM in Bengaluru, the place he led a number of companies for over a decade.
The duo stayed in contact, discussing concepts that “would have an effect”.
Sandeep returned to India in 2016 and linked with Samarth. They each felt strongly in regards to the rising air pollution and the affect it had on Jamshedpur (Sandeep’s hometown) and Goa (Samarth’s hometown).
The numerous conversations led them to a choice: to speed up the adoption of electrical autos in India.
In 2018, the duo based , a journey tech platform that provides guided, experiential excursions on electrical bikes and goals to advertise sustainable tourism. The platform makes use of good electrical bikes to offer vacationers a brand new expertise of the tradition and heritage of a vacation spot.
The founders initially invested about Rs 30 lakh every from their private financial savings to kick-start the startup.
In 2020, the startup ventured past excursions and launched an internet multi-brand EV market, providing e-cycles and e-scooters from manufacturers like Hero Electrical, Ampere, Go Zero, and Lightspeed, to call a number of. In 2021, BLive opened its first offline retail retailer.
4 years down the road, BLive has made an affect. It has offered greater than 2,000 EVs within the final six months, incomes a margin of 10–15% from car gross sales and different providers. B2B gross sales contribute to 30% of its enterprise.
The startup, which has performed over 30,000 excursions, has supplied EV options to manufacturers reminiscent of Salarpuria Sattva, , FAE Bikes, and Membership Mahindra.
BLive has grown 1000%, or 10X, within the final 4 quarters and has recorded 16X progress in income.
What does BLive supply?
BLive is a multi-brand EV retail platform with an internet in addition to an offline presence. It provides electrical two and electrical 3-wheelers, charging infrastructure, EV finance, insurance coverage, EV fleet administration providers, roadside help, and different associated providers.
“Our on-line platform helps customers select the precise EV. We additionally assist enterprises eager to both electrify their supply fleet or supply their staff EVs to attain their objective of driving clear mobility by providing an end-to-end EV answer,” Samarth says.
BLive says it’s the primary omnichannel multi-brand EV platform with a digital retailer and a number of expertise shops throughout India.
The expertise shops work on a franchise mannequin, permitting prospects to have a look at the EVs, purchase them, and entry after-sales assist.
“We provide a single EV platform for people and enterprises. It’s a one-stop store for all EV options. Our experience-to-commerce platform helps prospects undertake sustainable mobility options,” Samarth says.
The startup, which has over 16 shops in Goa, Maharashtra, Hyderabad, Kerala, and Karnataka, goals to carry collectively your entire EV ecosystem of producers, finance companions, and repair companions on one platform.
The founder says India’s two-wheeler market sells about 2.2 crore items yearly, of which EVs comprise about 1%.
He sees three issues within the adoption of EVs: consciousness, accessibility, and affordability.
“BLive is addressing these by providing customers a selection of EVs, experience, and ease of possession. We’ve a number of varied choices of possession by loans, subscriptions, leases, and many others.” he provides.
How does BLive work?
BLive operates as a B2B and B2C platform that provides end-to-end options.
It provides round 50-plus manufacturers, together with Hero Lectro, Lightspeed, and Go Zero, amongst others, and has a community of 20 multibrand EV shops throughout 10 cities.
“We are actually centered on Tier II and Tier III cities the place we really feel the true India progress story for EVs exists. Enterprises throughout India have been reaching out to us to assist them electrify their fleet and likewise assist their staff transition to electrical,” he provides.
The startup’s two-wheeler companions are Kinetic Inexperienced, Ampere, Growth Motors, Dexpress, Miracle, Techno Electra, Esprinto, , Cosbike, Athre, , Odysse, and Gemopai, to call a number of.
“On the providers aspect, now we have partnered with charging suppliers like Bolt, Chargerz, and roadside help suppliers like Prepared Help, SpareIt, and finance suppliers, amongst others,” says Samarth.
Its three-wheeler companions are Euler, , Mahindra Electrical, Save Electrical, and Piaggio Autos India, and it has tied up with IDFC, Kotak, Bajaj Finserv, HDFC, ICICI, Zest, Pine Labs, Mortgage Faucet, and Manappuram for finance. Insurance coverage companions embrace Reliance, Kotak, Go Digit, and HDFC Ergo.
The startup additionally continues to supply EV excursions in varied places in India reminiscent of Coorg, Madikaeri, Pondicherry, Ooty, and Goa. “The e-bike excursions supply an immersive expertise into the native tradition of those places,” Samarth says.
The period of every tour spans 2-2.5 hours and it’s priced at Rs 2,000 per individual.
The startup has been related to Goa Tourism for 20 years as their official EV Tourism Associate. “Our e-bike excursions had been launched in affiliation with the Goa authorities to offer an impetus to selling inexperienced mobility in Goa,” Samarth says.
In March 2021, BLive raised $1 million in a pre-Collection A spherical from LetsVenture, Mumbai Angels, JITO Angel Community, and .
The startup plans to lift Collection A funding within the subsequent two to 3 months.
BLive, which employs 50 individuals, plans to onboard over 100 manufacturers by the top of this 12 months.
Income mannequin
BLive has 4 income streams – Direct Gross sales, Enterprise Gross sales, Gross sales from BLive Expertise Shops, and EV excursions. It earns a margin of 10–15% from car gross sales and different providers. Its B2B gross sales contribute to 30% of its enterprise.
The founder declined to reveal income numbers.
In accordance with Mordor Intelligence, the Indian EV market was valued at $7,025.56 million in 2021, and is anticipated to succeed in $30,414.83 million by 2027, rising at a CAGR of 28.93% by way of income throughout 2022–2027.
The market is cluttered with EV manufacturers, and BLive competes with single-brand shops of electrical two-wheel producers and on-line discovery platforms like .
The best way forward
BLive plans to open 50 new EV Expertise Shops by the top of 2022. Will probably be including e3Ws, charging companions, and finance companions and plans to have no less than 100 companions by the top of the 12 months.
It plans to introduce some distinctive experiences to make the EV shopping for expertise extra immersive. An trade and improve programme can also be on the anvil for the upcoming festive season.
“We intention to create 5,000 new EV customers by the top of this FY,” the founder says.
