BLive, an eco-tourism start-up which has pioneered the concept of Electric Vehicle Tourism in India, has raised an undisclosed amount from Mumbai Angels Network in its pre Series-A funding round. BLive offers unique, experiential, guided tours on smart electric bikes thus promoting zero carbon tourism in India. The funds raised will be used for expansion to new locations.
Previously, BLive has raised a strategic investment of INR 4 crore from DNA Networks in September 2019 and a seed capital fund of Rs 1 crore led by Shrinivas V Dempo, Chairman of Goa’s leading business house Dempo Group, and Shivanand V Salgaocar, Chairman and Managing Director, Vimson Group.
Founded in 2018 by Samarth Kholkar and Sandeep Mukherjee, BLive works closely with the government bodies & hospitality chains to encourage early adoption of electric vehicles across all tourist destinations in India. The company envisions bringing in an eco-tourism revolution in the country through curated experiences powered by electric vehicles.
Speaking about the investment, Samarth Kholkar & Sandeep Mukherjee Co-Founders, BLive, said
Travel and tourism industry has taken a big hit due to the present pandemic crisis and that was expected to happen. Securing an investment amidst the present situation shows the confidence of investors in the potential of our business model and boosts our confidence to bounce back quickly. Mumbai Angels not only helped us raise funds seamlessly, but it also connected us to its vast network of Investors across cities in India.
Ajay Pandey, Independent Director & Angel investor, commented
E Vehicles are now an integral part of our eco system. There are many innovative solutions that are emerging on a regular basis all across. What I found interesting around the Blive venture is the fact that a services element linked revenue model has been wrapped around the e bikes, which makes it a sustainable and healthy business option.
BLive experiences are available in Gujarat, Kerala, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and Goa [North and South]. B: Live is the official EV tourism partner for GTDC [Goa Tourism Development Corporation]. The company also has several marquee names as partners including Taj Hotels, Grand Hyatt and Airbnb. Since its inception, B: Live has completed 6000+ rides, saving more than 600 tonnes of carbon generated by tourist vehicles.