Shuttle, a Bangladesh-based mass-transit startup, has raised $750,000 in a seed round headed by Accelerating Asia. In addition to angel investors from home and abroad, including industry (logistics) specialists, the round included investors such as Robi Axiata Limited (r-ventures), Impact Collective (The Ventures, South Korea), and Bangladesh Angels Network (BAN). Shuttle is also eligible for a $100,000 Impact Ready Matching Fund from the Biniyog Briddhi.
Shuttle provides service in air-conditioned minivans that seat 10-11 people, allowing them to safely commute together for a fraction of the cost of ride-sharing automobiles. It began in 2018 as a women-only service to address the issue of safe transportation options for women.
The program was so successful that more than 20,000 women have signed up for the “Shuttle for Women” service on their site. Shuttle recently expanded its services with “Shuttle for Business” in 2020, which aided organizations in ensuring safe and sanitized transportation for their moving employees during the shutdown.
