The hyperlocal content, community & classifieds platform has over 40M+ downloads in just 7 states
“We are thrilled to receive support from Global Brain and Sony Innovation Fund in addition to existing investors on our board as we redefine how Tier2+ users of India access hyperlocal information. We have achieved profitability in two of the seven states we operate in. Our aim is not only to create a platform that provides significant value to our users, but also to build it in a sustainable manner. This funding round will be instrumental in accelerating our growth and getting us closer to fulfilling our vision of simplifying our users’ lives by enabling them to use the Internet more meaningfully,” said Jani Pasha, Founder and CEO, Lokal.
Lokal has built in-house tech capabilities that enable users to find the most relevant local content, classifieds & community updates. With innovation in User Experience (UX) and unique matching algorithms, all the content and classifieds published on the platform are user-generated providing access to local information in real time.
Sharing his thoughts, Anjani Bansal, Partner and Country Head, Global Brain Corporation said, “India has taken big strides in building infrastructure that provides internet connectivity to its citizens. The next step is to enable access to a multitude of productive and context-specific use cases, particularly for Bharat’s local communities in Tier 2+ cities and in regional languages. Lokal is building that application layer which fully unlocks the true potential for millions of Indians through a hyperlocal platform for content, community and classifieds. It is already present in over 180 districts of 7 states. We are excited to partner with them in this exciting journey.”
“We see a natural growth in the non-English speaking population’s usage of internet-based services, creating the need for alternate social platforms like Lokal. We look forward to supporting the team as they expand across the fast-growing advertising market,” said Gen Tsuchikawa, CEO and Chief Investment Officer of Sony Ventures Corporation.
Founded by Jani Pasha and Vipul Chaudhary, Lokal started as an informative WhatsApp group in Kodad, a small town in the Suryapet district of Telangana. Today, it has become the go-to hub for updates for millions of people in 180+ districts in the states of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra and Gujarat.The Lokal app is currently available in 6 languages on Google Play Store.
