InDrive has big plans to become a global ‘super app’ where others have failed

InDrive, known for its bidding-based ride-hailing model across Asia and Latin America, is rolling out a “super-app” strategy aimed at frontier markets — expanding beyond cabs to deliver daily essentials to its users.

Beginning with grocery deliveries in Kazakhstan, InDrive plans to expand into multiple verticals over the next 12 months across its top markets, including Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Pakistan, Peru, and Mexico. The shift comes on the heels of more than 360 million app downloads and 6.5 billion transactions globally, cementing its position as the world’s second most-downloaded ride-hailing app, behind Uber, since 2022.

“If customers use you more frequently, then, of course, they stay longer, they’re more valuable in the ecosystem, and they’re just more loyal overall,” said Andries Smit, chief growth business officer at InDrive, in an exclusive interview.

InDrive chose grocery delivery as its first expansion move after seeing rapid growth in its delivery segment — with over 41 million orders completed worldwide in 2024 and more than 14 million in Q2 2025 alone — making it one of the fastest-scaling categories in the company’s portfolio.

The Mountain View, California-based company has launched its grocery delivery service in Kazakhstan, offering over 5,000 products with a 15-minute delivery promise. Early pilots in the Central Asian country yielded a net promoter score of 83% — signaling high customer satisfaction — and an average of five grocery orders per user per month, the company said.

Smit told TechCrunch that InDrive is using a dark store model for grocery deliveries in Kazakhstan, with most items focused on ready-to-eat meals and around 10% consisting of fresh products — part of a strategy to boost customer retention. He added that the model will vary in other regions, where the company is open to partnering locally, particularly in markets with a dense network of mom-and-pop stores.

Without sharing specifics, Smit said that the company has added 30% more dark stores in the country since August.

Why is Kazakhstan the first market?

InDrive currently operates in 982 cities across 48 countries globally and leads in eight of them. But then why has it picked Kazakhstan as the first market for its super-app move?

Smit told TechCrunch that the company decided to do so after seeing a “huge uptick” in consumers going digital in the country, which is the largest economy across Central Asia. InDrive also has its largest headcount in Kazakhstan, serving as a central hub for its R&D and operations.

InDrive did not disclose specific growth metrics for its operations in Kazakhstan. However, a recent report by Dealroom, published in collaboration with the government-backed tech park Astana Hub, noted that the company saw a 44% growth in the country over the past 12 months.

The report also valued Kazakhstan’s tech ecosystem at $26 billion — an 18-fold jump since 2019 — suggesting a sharp rise in local startup formation, funding, and digital services.