MAM
CredR raise $ 6.5 million in latest round led by Yamaha Motors & Astarc Ventures
New Delhi: Bangalore-based CredR (Incredible Technologies Pvt Ltd) has raised $ 6.5 million, in its latest round led by Yamaha Motors to leverage the fast-growing market for used two-wheelers.
The latest round of funding also witnessed participation from existing investors Omidyar Network India and Eight Roads Ventures, as well as automotive-focused Astarc Ventures.The six years old two-wheeler consumer brand created an omnichannel buying experience, through a chain of flagship showrooms across Maharashtra, Karnataka, Delhi, NCR, and Rajasthan. The funding will be used towards consolidating its market position, strengthening its technology platform, and expanding customer offerings, it said on Wednesday.
CredR has been focused on formalising the unorganised and fragmented used two-wheeler market, with over one thousand dealers across India. Even though India’s used two-wheeler market accounts for over 30 million annualised units, challenges around standardisation of pricing, strong quality inspection and customer experience, and most notably post-sales support, persist. “Our mission is to solve for the existing trust deficit in the category through their full-stack vertically-integrated business model empowered with technology,” said the company.
Speaking about the company’s goal for the future, CredR co-founder Sasidhar Nandigam said, “Our partnership with Yamaha Motors validates our shared vision to provide customers the best option to buy/sell used two-wheelers. They are a name to be reckoned with in the global mobility sphere. The funds raised in this round would help us to go deeper into existing markets and provide a world-class customer experience empowered with technology. Yamaha Motors’ comprehensive understanding and experience in the two-wheeler mobility segment aligns with our first-to-market business model.”
Commenting on this investment, Yamaha Motors, senior general manager New Venture Business Development & R&D Strategy Section, Technical Research & Development Center, Hajime Aota said, “India is one of the biggest mobility markets in the world and the personal freedom that motorcycles and scooters bring, is a huge and lasting benefit for this country’s people, regardless of whether they are new or used. CredR’s clear vision behind its thriving used two-wheeler business resonated with us, and we decided to invest in the company to help their business scale bigger, which will subsequently lead to a higher quality of life for India’s people.”
Omidyar Network India, principal, Aditya Misra said the company is doubling down its investment because it believes that two-wheelers are the choice of transportation as much in the top 30 cities in India as the rest of the country. “We find CredR’s customer-centric technology-first mindset applied to their O2O (online to offline) model to be a massive advantage that can go a long way in enhancing trust for consumers,” he added.
MAM
BLS International launches #VisaReady campaign to guide applicants
Initiative targets visa myths, delays and rejections with practical guidance
MUMBAI: Visa woes may soon meet their match because paperwork, it seems, is finally getting a user manual. BLS International has rolled out a new awareness drive, #VisaReadyWithBLSInternational, aimed at simplifying the often confusing visa application process and reducing delays caused by misinformation and incomplete documentation. The campaign, led across social media platforms, zeroes in on a long-standing pain point for travellers: lack of clarity around procedures, timelines and requirements. By offering step-by-step guidance, documentation checklists and clear Dos and Don’ts, the initiative attempts to turn what is typically a stressful process into a more predictable one.
At its core, the campaign also seeks to bust common myths that frequently derail applications issues that often lead to avoidable rejections or last-minute complications. The idea is to equip applicants with practical, actionable insights so they can plan better and submit stronger applications within expected timelines.
The push will not remain limited to digital channels. BLS International plans to extend the initiative across its Visa Application Centres globally, reinforcing awareness at key touchpoints where applicants engage with the process.
BLS International joint managing director Shikhar Aggarwal framed the campaign as more than a communication exercise, emphasising the company’s attempt to embed guidance and preparedness into every stage of the applicant journey.
Operating in over 70 countries and working with more than 46 client governments including embassies, consulates and diplomatic missions, the company has built a sizeable footprint in visa and consular services. With this campaign, it is now leaning into education as much as execution, signalling that in the world of visas, clarity might just be the new currency.
