To restore Kashmir’s former glory, Sheikh Yameen and his friend Zubair Ahmed Bhat founded Curve Electric. It is a sustainable e-bike rental service aimed at combating pollution and revitalizing the region’s natural beauty.
| Startup Name | Curve Electric |
| Founders | Sheikh Yameen and Zubair Bhat |
| Industry | Sustainable travelling |
| Company Classification | Private Limited |
| Headquarters/based-in | Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, India |
| Idea | To address environmental concerns and promote sustainable urban mobility by providing an e-bike sharing service. |
| Revenue | FY23-24 Rs 30 lakh |
| Date of Commencement | 2022 |
| Investments | Bootstrapped with Rs 14 lakh |
Competitors: Tilt, Rodo and Coo Rides
The Problem: Why Does This Matter?
In old days, the snowfall was plentiful, fostering a vibrant atmosphere of celebration. Often, over a foot and a half of glistening snow was a common sight. Families strolling in the afternoon amid the captivating beauty of snow-laden trees and rooftops was a common practice. At that time, the snowfall truly felt like a precious gift from nature.
The once-clear skies have now transformed into a thick haze of smog, shrouded by pollution and an escalating environmental crisis. Due to this, Kashmir has become one of the top 10 most polluted regions.
Popular tourist destinations are frequently crowded with vehicles. Due to this, traffic is turned into a daily struggle. What used to be half-hour trips have now painfully extended beyond an hour. Also, due to pollutants lingering in the valley, Kashmir’s delicate ecosystem is more at risk than ever.
The 27-year-old Yameen from Kashmir wants to preserve his childhood memories before they fade away. Thus, he feels a strong sense of urgency and responsibility to restore the beautiful, snow-covered world of his childhood in Kashmir.
The Solution: Curve Electric by Yameen and Zubair
Driven by a sense of urgency, he expressed his worries about escalating air pollution to his college friend, Zubair Ahmed Bhat. Started during a tea time chat, the conversation ignited the concept of Curve Electric. A system of a sustainable e-bike rental service aimed to offer an eco-friendly transportation option for both locals and tourists.
Taking action on their plans, in 2022, the duo founded Curve Electric to promote sustainable transportation in Kashmir. Through the introduction of e-bikes for daily commutes, they have raised awareness and provided solutions for traffic congestion and carbon emissions.
According to Yameen, their vehicles are uniquely engineered to endure the harsh terrains of Kashmir while promoting a sustainable lifestyle.
Since 2022, Curve Electric has successfully completed 55,000 rides and traveled an impressive 750,000 kilometers. Moreover, this sustainable initiative has largely cut down carbon emissions that would have been generated by conventional fuel-powered vehicles. This notable achievement received the startup a recognition in the Shark Tank India Season 4.
Why are Curve Electric’s E-bikes Different?
Curve Electric’s e-bikes have a range of unique features focused on efficiency and user convenience. They can be used as traditional bicycles or as electric-powered bikes. It allows users to effortlessly switch between manual pedaling and electric assistance. This versatility makes them ideal for different terrains and personal riding preferences.
Also, unlike other e-bikes, Curve Electric e-bike models are equipped with a powerful, high-torque motor that delivers 40 newton-meters of force. This makes them exceptionally durable and with reliable performance on challenging routes.
The detachable battery system minimizes downtime, and a battery lasts for 60–65 kilometers with each charge.
Nature Conservation
The startup specializes in lightweight electric vehicles engineered to navigate the region’s difficult terrains with ease. These e-bikes are helping to alleviate traffic congestion and significantly decrease the area’s carbon footprint. In just two years, their initiative has resulted in carbon emission reductions equivalent to the offset provided by 7,500 trees.
Business Model: How Do They Make Money?
The startup offers easy renting services by removing technological barriers, thus there is no complicated procedure for renting.
Users use their ID to rent a bike from the docking station. Charges are just Rs 6 per minute. Curve Electric offers B2C services and deals directly with the customers.
The impressive financial growth of Curve Electric clearly reflects its success. Bootstrapped with Rs 14 lakh in collective savings, the founders achieved an annual revenue of Rs 30 lakh in FY23-24.
Challenges/Struggles: What Roadblocks Are They Facing?
Challenge: Common challenge while renting the bikes is to prevent them from getting stolen or damaged.
Solution: Also, with GPS tracking alert system, it is easy to maintain security at all times.
Challenge: On each charge, the bike goes for 60 to 65 kms, but many people need more range or sometimes their return journey makes it more than the stated kms.
Solution: To meet the high demands from both tourists and locals, Curve Electric has engineered e-bikes capable of handling over 100 kilometers of daily travel. Thus, they have established a new standard for reliability in shared mobility solutions.
Future Vision: What’s Next?
Yameen envisions expanding Curve Electric beyond Kashmir, targeting additional urban centers to lead the charge in eco-friendly transportation solutions.
Moreover, this year, they are anticipating remarkable growth to Rs 55 lakh.
Key Takeaways: Why Should Users Care?
From Yameen and Zubair, we can learn:
- We should behave responsibly and take the initiative to reduce pollution.
- Individual efforts matter.
- Our small efforts count huge when it comes to reducing pollution.
