Sood advised aspiring entrepreneurs to embrace versatility and adaptability in startups, where rigid job roles rarely exist. Electric vehicles (EVs) together with renewable energy will decarbonise and reshape urban transport in India, said Rishabh Sood, co-founder & chief technology officer (CTO) at BluSmart Mobility. Speaking at Technovate for India, a joint initiative by The Times of India and startup ecosystem builder Talrop in Ahmedabad last week, Sood noted that EV technology is rapidly evolving, and public awareness is increasing.
“In the next decade, India’s urban transport ecosystem will look entirely different, with sustainable innovations leading the charge. India’s installed renewable energy capacity now constitutes 46% of the total. Combining this with EV adoption will drastically reduce urban pollution. This transition requires significant investment in infrastructure and advancements in EV technology, but the trajectory is promising,” said Sood.
Founded in 2019 and revived after the Covid waves, BluSmart is an EV-only ridehailing service with presence in Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Dubai (UAE). Sood said the idea was to redefine the urban mobility experience in India, which was plagued by unreliable drivers, surge pricing and poor vehicle conditions.
“While EVs have higher upfront costs, their per-kilometre running cost is half that of CNG vehicles and much lower than petrol or diesel cars. For high-usage fleets, the unit economics are highly favourable,” explained Sood. The company manages its own charging infrastructure—key to overcoming initial hurdles in building an EV business. The charging hubs serve not just BluSmart cabs, but other EVs too.
BluSmart today has patented AI systems that optimise fleet operations, predict vehicle range accurately, and ensure timely rides. These inno vations have contributed to the company achieving a 97% ontime performance rate—significantly higher than industry standards.
Beyond technology, Sood stressed the importance of empathy in solving real-world problems. “We ensure our teams understand on-ground realities by encouraging new recruits to experience roles as drivers or customer support agents. This approach helps us build solutions that aptly address the needs of our drivers and passengers. For instance, we introduced a ‘pause’ functionality in our app to allow drivers to take breaks to have food,” he said.
Embrace versatility and adaptability Sood advised aspiring entrepreneurs to embrace versatility and adaptability in startups, where rigid job roles rarely exist. “Be ready to step outside your domain, learn new skills, and interact with diverse stakeholders. Build with a vision of the world 5-10 years ahead, addressing challenges that shape the future,” he said, citing EVs as an example of a technology-driven, future-focused opportunity.
He also advised students at the conclave to understand and leverage AI to stay relevant.
