Online Auto Service Startup GarageonRoad Bags Seed Funding

Noida-based online auto services startup GarageOnRoad has raised an undisclosed amount in a seed round from Gaurav (Jerry) Gupta, senior vice president at reinsurance multinational Swiss Re.

Founder Prateek Ranjan said “The startup will use the funds to enhance its technology and operations. It will introduce features like on-demand car services, cleaning etc. Besides Gupta, Rakesh Bhatia, entrepreneur and chief strategy officer at GarageOnRoad, will also invest in the startup. Gupta has also committed to fund the company for another 6-8 months.

Gupta heads the innovation and venture arm at Swiss Re. He was previously with Amazon, where he led the programme management vertical. Prior to Amazon, Gupta created and managed the innovation and venture groups at US-based Liberty Mutual Insurance. He has conducted due diligence on transactions worth over $3 billion in aggregate value and has raised over $25 million in private placements. In addition, he has served as an advisor to several startups in the US and Spain.

Bhatia, who is an alumnus of IIT Roorkee, has over 18 years of experience in various domains like telecom, RFID exports, and education. He ran his own venture in exports, where he worked with retail chains like Carrefour. Besides, he also serves as a consultant and mentor to education companies and startups.

Run by Tescont Maintenance Pvt. Ltd, Ranjan founded GarageOnRoad in 2016 as a mobile app to provide roadside assistance to users without any subscription charges. It works with a network of garages to provide assistance round the clock with one-time booking charges.

Other ventures in the online automobile servicing space that raised funds include after-sales car service provider Pitstop, which in September raised $1 million (Rs 6.5 crore) in a pre-Series A round from Blume Ventures, Singapore-based Goldbell Group, and a group of angel investors