Known for its bid-based approach to fares, Indrive is furthering its efforts beyond ride-hailing by rolling out advertising in the top 20 markets and expanding grocery delivery to Pakistan, executing on the “super app” strategy it outlined last year to build new revenue streams and increase engagement while maintaining growth in price-sensitive markets.
The Mountain View, Calif.-based company’s latest move comes as ride-hailing platforms face increasing competition and shrinking profit margins across emerging markets and companies are looking beyond transportation for growth. Ads provide a high-margin revenue stream that grows with usage, while grocery delivery increases the frequency with which users open the app. The combination could help inDrive strengthen its core mobility business while reducing its reliance on ride fees.
InDrive has built its position on affordability, using a peer-to-peer negotiation model that allows riders and drivers to directly agree on fares, rather than relying on fixed prices. Nevertheless, as the company operates in a crowded market alongside global players such as Uber and local micro-commuting options such as taxis and autorickshaws, the company is increasingly looking beyond just rides. This has led to inDrive’s “super app” strategy, which aims to add high-frequency services such as grocery delivery in peripheral and emerging markets.
Ads on inDrive are available across markets including Mexico, Colombia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Egypt, and Morocco. The rollout follows a mid-2025 test that delivered hundreds of millions of impressions and attracted interest from global consumer brands and banks, Andries Smit, chief growth business officer at Indrive, said in an interview.
Sumit told TechCrunch that the advertising business will initially focus on in-app placements, moments that generate high engagement and sustained attention, such as while waiting after a ride is booked or while passengers are in transit.
In-vehicle and in-vehicle advertising is part of the long-term roadmap. However, Sumit said InDrive plans to prioritize in-app formats until 2026, citing the operational complexity of in-vehicle advertising in emerging markets and the early returns from digital placement.
Pakistan, the next big market for inDrive’s ‘super app’ play
The focus on in-app advertising coincides with inDrive’s foray into grocery. The move into groceries is a high-frequency use case where the company expects to generate stronger engagement and advertising demand than rides alone. Indive is expanding its grocery delivery in Pakistan, its second largest market after Kazakhstan, through a partnership with local dark store operator Crave Mart, which received an investment from Indive in December 2024.
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Sumit said Pakistan stands out due to the combination of growing demand for quick commerce and Indrive’s own size in the market. While grocery retail remains fragmented and informal, urban consumers are increasingly turning to app-based delivery as more households juggle work and family responsibilities. At the same time, inDrive has emerged as one of the country’s leading mobility platforms, offering a large and engaged user base for cross-selling groceries without the high customer acquisition costs that burden many quick-commerce startups.
Since its launch in 2021, inDrive has steadily expanded its footprint in Pakistan, with ridership increasing by nearly 40% year over year in 2025 and deliveries by the courier service increasing 67% in the first half of this year, according to company-specific data shared with TechCrunch. The company views Pakistan as one of the fastest growing markets in the world, with particularly high occupancy rates in major cities such as Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. Overall, inDrive operates ride-hailing services in more than 20 cities in Pakistan and intercity services in more than 200 locations.
Indrive’s grocery rollout in Pakistan will begin in Karachi, the country’s largest city and one of the company’s strongest markets, where users will be able to order everyday items through the app, with delivery times around 20-30 minutes. The service will then be expanded to other major cities including Lahore, Islamabad and Rawalpindi later this year as inDrive works with Krave Mart to build supply and logistics. The platform will offer more than 7,500 products, including fresh produce, meat and dairy products, snacks and household items, with no service charge and free delivery on orders over 499 Pakistani rupees (approximately $2).
In addition to rapidly growing as a ride-hailing market, Pakistan has also emerged as a hub for inDrive capital deployment. Sumit said the largest proportion of the company’s $100 million multi-year investment program, announced for the end of 2023, has so far gone to Pakistan, but declined to disclose specific numbers. He added that at least half of the total $100 million commitment has already been fulfilled.
“We feel there is incredible potential in Pakistan,” Sumit said. “Ideally, we would like to continue to double. [investments] As we watch the performance. ”
Indrive is increasing its focus on Pakistan despite widespread investor caution about the market. Venture capital and retail investors remain on the sidelines amid geopolitical and macroeconomic risks, even as activity shows signs of recovery. According to a recent report by Data Darbar, a Karachi-based startup analysis firm, equity funding in Pakistan increased 63% year-on-year to $36.6 million across 10 rounds in 2025, significantly lower than the $347 million and $331 million raised in 2021 and 2022, respectively.
But the gap between investor caution and demand on the ground is where inDrive sees an opportunity. Mr. Smit, who has operated in dozens of emerging markets, said the company is accustomed to volatility and is less dependent on changes in capital market sentiment, giving it the confidence to invest where others are hesitant. He noted that with its established local business and large active user base, inDrive also helps partners scale without incurring significant customer acquisition costs. This advantage is especially valuable when external funding is scarce.
InDrive’s advertising and commerce efforts are powered by scale. The company operates in 1,065 cities across 48 countries and has more than 360 million app downloads, making it the second most downloaded mobility app in the world after Uber for three consecutive years, according to company data.
Looking ahead, inDrive expects advertising to become a more meaningful contributor in the medium term, especially as grocery and delivery volumes increase and opportunities for contextual promotions increase. Ride-hailing, which accounted for about 95% of inDrive’s revenue just a few years ago, now accounts for nearly 85%, even as its core business continues to grow, reflecting new areas that are starting to expand.
Smit said grocery, delivery, advertising and ultimately financial services are expected to play a larger role over the next three to five years as the company expands selectively across its priority markets.
