Mr. Girish Nagpal & Mr Kaaman Agarwal, co-founders of MetroRide

Interview with Mr. Girish Nagpal & Mr Kaaman Agarwal, co-founders of MetroRide

Girish Nagpal, the CEO and Co-Founder of MetroRide, is a dedicated entrepreneur who values making a positive impact.

After successfully holding leadership positions in the corporate world, Girish chose to become an entrepreneur.

He is a management graduate from the prestigious MDI, Gurgaon, and has been awarded the “Distinguished Toastmaster Award,” the highest individual education award by Toastmasters International. Along with being a cricket enthusiast, Girish is a passionate teacher and an amateur Scrabble player.

Kaaman Agarwal, the CTO and Co-Founder of MetroRide, is a highly skilled technologist with over 18 years of experience building tech products that solve complex business problems.

He has worked with various prominent organizations across verticals like Hi-Tech and Communications, Media, Manufacturing, and Financial Services, and his forte lies in building scalable solutions using Cloud computing, Internet of Things, Data Analytics, and AI.

Kaaman’s current focus is building an automated and scalable fleet management and fraud detection system for MetroRide using AI. In his free time, Kaaman enjoys swimming and and work on wood.

Can you tell us about your background and how you came up with the idea for MetroRide?

Kaaman and I were friends who resided in San Francisco and Bengaluru, respectively. Commuting to work was a daily struggle that consumed a significant chunk of our time.

Despite the introduction of the metro system in Bengaluru, finding parking and reliable transportation to reach the station remained a constant challenge.

Kaaman faced a similar predicament in San Francisco, prompting us to realize that the problem of urban commuting was a global one that required a significant solution.

With this in mind, we founded MetroRide, an initiative aimed at resolving the commuting issue for individuals worldwide.

Kindly brief us about  MetroRide, its specialization, and the services that it offers

MetroRide is a ride-hailing AI-First EV mobility platform offering first and last-mile connectivity to high-frequency destinations.

The platform leverages AI along with huge data points for analytics to deliver hassle-free experience. Our innovative approach to addressing the global issue of urban mobility has earned us numerous national and international awards.

With a primary focus on India and the USA, we aim to establish ourselves as a global leader in the urban mobility sector.

What sets MetroRide apart from other transportation options in India?

Unlike all other Ride hailing platforms which compete with the Public Transport, MetroRide collaborates with & enables Public Transport.

We are custom built for the daily commuters who use us everyday to reach their closest public transport hub.

We provide daily commuters with the most affordable & minimal wait times to transform their commute experience.

How do you envision MetroRide impacting the transportation industry in India?

Despite the advantages offered by electric vehicles (EVs), they alone cannot solve India’s urban mobility challenges entirely.

In contrast, public transportation presents a more cost-effective, convenient, efficient, safe, and environmentally friendly alternative.

Due to inadequate infrastructure and excessive traffic, India’s cities are not conducive to large numbers of cars on the roads.

Public transport, however, can alleviate congestion, enhance mobility, and lower air pollution. By improving accessibility and streamlining the public transport system, MetroRide is poised to have a significant impact on the future of Indian cities.

What are some challenges you’ve faced while running MetroRide, and how have you overcome them?

Numerous companies have endeavored to address the challenge of micro mobility before us, encountering difficulties in expanding and scaling up swiftly.

However, we have learned from their setbacks and concluded that a technology platform, rather than a transportation company model, is the optimal solution to tackle this substantial issue at scale.

As a result, we developed VIKI (Virtual Interactive Kinetic Intelligence), our AI engine, which serves as the nerve center of MetroRide.

VIKI has successfully resolved a majority of our obstacles, such as optimizing routes, reducing wait times, and mitigating fraudulent rides.

How do you ensure the safety and security of MetroRide passengers and drivers?

We have implemented a comprehensive set of safety measures to ensure the security of our commuters. In addition to conducting a rigorous Profile Verification of all our driver partners, we have integrated various technological tools and processes.

Our commitment to prioritizing women’s safety is reflected in our practice of pairing female passengers with female drivers through VIKI.

Moreover, we have deployed advanced IoT solutions to ensure the safety and security of our customers, drivers as well as assets.

Can you talk about any future plans or expansions for MetroRide?

We currently operate in Delhi, Hyderabad, and Bangalore, with a strategic plan to expand our existing presence in these cities.

As Hyderabad boasts the fastest growing metro system, we have already entered into an agreement with them and have identified it as a key focus area for expansion over the next few quarters.

Our goal is to achieve a 10x growth rate within the next 12 months, as we work to develop and scale our business operations in the region.

What was the inspiration behind turning an entrepreneur?

As co-founders with nearly two decades of corporate experience each, our desire for a greater purpose led us to pursue a profitable business with a positive impact.

We are pleased to have found our calling in creating sustainable and livable cities, a vision that has been long-standing for us.

How do you balance innovation with practicality in developing new features and services for MetroRide?

It is crucial for all innovations and features to possess practicality and scalability to ensure their effectiveness.

Creating anything without such qualities serves no purpose. Therefore, we prioritize the needs of our customers and approach them by providing innovative, pragmatic and cost-efficient solutions.

What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs in the transportation industry?

There are so many real world problems to be solved still. Pick up something which you relate with and can commit your life to with same passion.

Transportation is a dynamic sector and it is important to stay committed to your vision and goals. Be prepared to work hard, persevere through challenges, and stay focused on the long-term success of your business.

What is your success tips for young and aspiring entrepreneurs

In our society failing is a taboo which kills many dreams. Failure is an inevitable part of life, particularly for entrepreneurs.

In fact, failure is often an important step on the path to success, as it allows us to learn valuable lessons and make necessary adjustments to our plans and strategies.

One of the most important things an entrepreneur can do is to embrace failure as a learning opportunity, rather than a personal setback.

By analyzing what went wrong, entrepreneurs can identify areas for improvement and make adjustments to increase their chances of success in the future.

Additionally, by studying the failures of others, entrepreneurs can gain valuable insights into common pitfalls and mistakes to avoid.

Read more Success stories of Indian entrepreneurs, Women Entrepreneurs & startups stories at SugerMint.