One app, all rides: Now compare and book Ola, Rapido, Namma Yatri in oJi, India’s first interoperable mobility app
oJi provides real-time updates and fare comparisons. The founders aim to enable users to book a ride through oJi from any of the aggregator apps after comparing the prices.
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Founded by Anmol Sharma (CEO), a medical studies dropout, and Yash Garg (CTO), an IIT-BHU graduate, oJi is operated by Stepzero Labs Private Limited, which brings all ridesharing options together in one place. With the launch of oJi, India’s first interoperable mobility app, you can save the hassle of comparing prices between various aggregator apps. Founded by Anmol Sharma (CEO), a medical studies dropout, and Yash Garg (CTO), an IIT-BHU graduate, oJi is operated by Stepzero Labs Private Limited, which brings all ridesharing options together in one place.
The app seeks to end the strain of switching between aggregator apps to find a feasible and quicker ride, thus helping users save money and time. Interestingly, the name ‘oJi’ originates from the common Indian phrase “O’ Ji,” often used to address auto and cab drivers (O bhaiya ji).
The app provides real-time updates, fare comparisons, and easy booking, making ride-hailing smoother and more convenient. Sharma recalled that the idea sprouted in a house in Koramangala, where he and Garg found it frustrating to compare and choose from the best rides by toggling between multiple aggregator rides. Finally, the idea was moulded into building mobility as a service solution that provides a ‘level-playing field’ and ‘unbundling’ buyer and seller platforms in the mobility space.
As of now, oJi, which can be downloaded from the PlayStore, allows users to book apps like Nagara, QuicReach, and Bhoogol. Users will soon be able to book all the ONDC-integrated apps, including Namma Yatri, Yaary, O Rickshaw, Quick Ride, Shoffr, Fery, and Yatri Sathi.
“In Bangalore, we frequently used autos and cabs and noticed significant price variations between different apps, sometimes up to 100 per cent for the same ride. We found it frustrating to check four different apps each time before booking a ride. Realising this was a common problem, we decided to build a solution for ourselves. When we discussed it with others, they also saw the need for such a solution, so we decided to tackle the problem, and that’s how the idea for Oji was born,” said Sharma, 27.
The founders told The Indian Express that oJi positions itself as a true enabler of the ONDC (Open Network for Digital Commerce) ethos, which lies primarily in interoperability and creating a level playing field for all ride-hailing apps. “The oJi app is aggregator agnostic and even small metered auto apps like Nagara become discoverable among the big aggregator giants. Naturally, with oJi, customers get to compare Nagara’sprices with those of other ride-hailing apps and choose what they deem best. This way it creates a level playing field for all aggregators and significantly reduces the burden of meeting the demand-supply gap for small seller apps like Nagara,” said Garg, 24.
As of now, oJi, which can be downloaded from the PlayStore, allows users to book apps like Nagara, QuicReach, and Bhoogol. Users will soon be able to book all the ONDC-integrated apps, including Namma Yatri, Yaary, O Rickshaw, Quick Ride, Shoffr, Fery, and Yatri Sathi.
The app provides real-time updates, fare comparisons, and easy booking, making ride-hailing smoother and more convenient.
Meanwhile, the app allows you only to compare the prices of other apps such as Rapido and Ola. “The goal is to enable users to book a ride through oJi from any of these aggregator apps after comparing the prices. Customers need not download different apps and instead book a ride with access to multiple apps on one single app. This feature will be enabled once the aggregator apps are fully integrated with oJi,” said Sharma.
oJi, which is still in the ONDC integration process, is free for the end users. However, in the coming days, the developers will charge a small service fee from partner aggregators and buyer finder fees from ONDC partners.
The app seeks to end the strain of switching between aggregator apps to find a feasible and quicker ride, thus helping users save money and time.
The company, which is currently bootstrapped, is in final talks with a few Venture Capitalists and will soon be closing a pre-seed round. The developers are aiming to transform this app into a ‘Mobility as a Service (MaaS platform) by integrating the app with public transport services like Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) and Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) allowing users to purchase metro and bus tickets on one single app.
“We aim to establish the app as the go-to app for seamless commuting from point A to B. We aim to make Oji the ultimate solution for all commuting needs, expanding it into a MaaS platform. Soon, users can purchase metro and bus tickets through Oji. Our goal is to reduce car ownership and alleviate urban traffic congestion, making city commuting more accessible and efficient,” said Sharma.
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