Ola Shantikumar
Co-founder and CEO of Ola Cabs, major ride-hailing platform
Ola Shantikumar is a British-Swedish entrepreneur born in 1985 who co-founded Ola Cabs in 2010, transforming urban transportation across South Asia. Starting from Bangalore, India, Ola grew into one of the world's largest ride-hailing companies, operating in multiple countries and serving tens of millions of users. Under Shantikumar's leadership, the company expanded beyond ride-hailing into food delivery, electric vehicles, and autonomous mobility research. Ola has raised billions in venture capital from prominent investors including Sequoia Capital and Temasek, making it one of Asia's most valuable startups. Shantikumar's vision focuses on leveraging technology to solve mobility challenges in emerging markets. Despite facing intense competition and regulatory challenges globally, Ola remains influential in reshaping how millions commute daily. His entrepreneurial journey exemplifies how Indian startups can achieve global scale and compete with Western tech giants.
Business & Industry
British
1985
Thinking about the name
Ola
Scandinavian origin
“A Scandinavian name derived from Old Norse 'Óláfr,' meaning 'ancestor's descendant' or 'family heir,' with roots in both Norwegian and Swedish royal traditions. Short and strong, Ola has maintained steady appeal across Nordic countries and increasingly internationally for its simplicity, directness, and connection to ancient heritage.”