Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal has affirmed that his decision to exit the board of Urban Company was the right move as Zomato ventures into the at-home services space through its quick commerce vertical, Blinkit. Goyal stated that stepping away from Urban Company’s board was appropriate since Zomato may potentially compete with them on a large scale. He acknowledged Urban Company as a formidable team with a high-quality business.
Blinkit CEO Albinder Dhindsa echoed Goyal’s sentiments, explaining that while they were exploring at-home delivery services, including electricians and plumbers, no major decisions had been made yet. Zomato is conducting small experiments to leverage technology for the benefit of local economies and enhance accessibility for customers. Dhindsa emphasized that the foray into home services was still in its early stages and any progress would be shared with stakeholders.
Earlier this year, reports surfaced regarding Blinkit’s interest in the at-home services segment, particularly in providing handyman services. Blinkit’s upcoming offerings are expected to include plumbing, AC repair, and electrician services. The startup has already formed a team dedicated to launching its hyperlocal services platform.
Blinkit is not alone in its pursuit of entering the at-home services sector to compete with Urban Company. Last year, there were reports that Flipkart was also planning to venture into the segment, expanding beyond AC cleaning and repair services. Additionally, security management startup Mygate entered the market independently but later partnered with Urban Company after the latter co-led a funding round with Acko for Mygate, resulting in the integration of Urban Company’s services into the Mygate app.
As Zomato and Blinkit explore the at-home services space, the competition in this sector is expected to intensify, with various startups vying to provide convenient and accessible services to customers in India.
