Loca

Loca, operating under the legal name Lithius Energy Private Limited, was an app-based ride-hailing aggregator founded in 2018 in Bengaluru, India. The company was established by Krishnakumar Ramachandran, Gautam Patil, and Mukta Prakash Dharma. Gautam Patil was a Principal at Boston Consulting Group, while Krishnakumar Ramachandran had experience building technology products at Amazon, LinkedIn, and Microsoft.

The company focused on providing a shared service for first and last-mile commuting, aiming to offer a reliable and affordable option for travelers. Its business model centered on operating shared cabs along fixed routes with designated pick-up and drop-off points known as 'Loca points'. This service was designed to be more cost-effective than an autorickshaw ride. Users could book, track, and pay for these air-conditioned shared rides through a mobile application available for both iOS and Android devices.

In August 2019, Loca secured $1.2 million in a seed funding round. The round was led by Stellaris Venture Partners and Fosun RZ Capital, with participation from several angel investors. At its last known valuation in October 2019, the company was valued at ₹23.9 Crore. The startup conducted extensive field trials for over nine months to develop its ride-sharing algorithm before officially launching its services in April 2019. Initially, it operated from four metro stations in Bengaluru with plans to expand. However, the company has since ceased operations and is considered deadpooled as of 2021.

Keywords: ride-hailing aggregator, shared mobility, last-mile connectivity, Indian startup, Bengaluru tech, commuter service, fixed-route cabs, mobile booking app, transportation tech, venture capital funded, Stellaris Venture Partners, Fosun RZ Capital, urban mobility, shared transportation, app-based transport, deadpooled startup, Lithius Energy, ride-sharing algorithm, metro feeder service, transport logistics