Latest news with #AyushAgarwal
Business Standard
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
BrowserStack Launches Testing Toolkit: One Chrome Extension to Streamline QA Workflows
PRNewswire Dublin [Ireland], August 19: BrowserStack, the world's leading software testing platform, today announced the launch of Testing Toolkit, a Chrome extension that brings 10+ essential manual testing tools into one streamlined solution. Manual web testing has become increasingly fragmented. QA teams juggle half a dozen extensions and apps, switching between tabs, logging into multiple accounts, and losing hours each week to setup and context switching. Many also miss out on tools that could improve coverage, especially for checks like accessibility and responsive design. The Testing Toolkit brings order to this chaos. The extension offers one-click access to a comprehensive suite of capabilities, covering the full manual testing lifecycle--setup, execution, and bug reporting. * Comprehensive test coverage with 10+ integrated tools, including cross-browser testing across 3500+ browsers, accessibility testing, and visual overlay comparison. * One-click bug reporting with automated screenshots, console logs, network data, and system information for complete issue documentation. * Built-in productivity tools like AI-powered test case generation, cookie and cache management, JSON formatting, HTTP request/response modification, and workflow automation for repetitive tasks. "Testing Toolkit was born out of a simple observation--we saw how fragmented manual web testing workflows had become," said Nakul Aggarwal, Co-founder and CTO at BrowserStack. "With this launch, we're giving testers and developers a powerful yet lightweight way to streamline their daily tasks. No clutter. Just better testing." "The best extension or plug-in for manual web testing. It has made manual testing a lot faster. I have already recommended it to all my colleagues, testers, as well as developers in the company," said an early adopter, Ayush Agarwal, Software Developer at Webninjaz. The Testing Toolkit is already loved by over 3,000 users and is now available on the Chrome Web Store, letting teams reclaim lost productivity hours. About BrowserStack BrowserStack is the world's leading software testing platform, powered by AI to help developers and QA teams deliver quality software at speed. Trusted by over 50,000 teams, including Amazon, Microsoft, and NVIDIA, BrowserStack powers more than three million tests every day across 21 global data centers. The platform gives teams instant access to over 30,000 real devices and browsers. Founded in 2011, BrowserStack is a privately held company backed by Accel, Bond, and Insight Partners. For more information, visit Media Contact Press Relations Team press@
News18
20-06-2025
- Automotive
- News18
‘Paying Rs 500 Daily Just For Commute Now': Bengaluru Fumes Over Bike Taxi Ban
Last Updated: Many Bengaluru commuters depended on bike taxis to beat the traffic and reach their destinations on time. In a city where getting from one place to another can feel like an everyday battle, Bengaluru's traffic troubles have now taken a frustrating new turn. The situation has worsened, especially for daily commuters, following the Karnataka High Court's upholding of the ban on bike taxi services. These commuters relied on these two-wheelers to dodge endless jams and reach their destinations on time. Many people today find themselves stuck in traffic, with no option but to depend on expensive cabs or auto-rickshaws. Naturally, people are venting out their anger and helplessness online. On social media, particularly X (formerly Twitter), users have flooded the platform with posts describing just how much the ban has disrupted their lives. A user wrote, 'You block bike taxis… – with no proper roads – dug-up and narrow lanes – missing U-turns – zero metro access in many areas – limited public buses – no footpaths to walk Bangalore's traffic has increased almost 4/5x with everyone taking out their car or booking an auto. What a genius move." You block bike taxis…– with no proper roads– dug-up and narrow lanes– missing U-turns– zero metro access in many areas– limited public buses– no footpaths to walk Bangalore's traffic has increased almost 4/5x with every one taking out their car or booking an auto. What… — Striver | Building takeUforward (@striver_79) June 18, 2025 A resident added, 'Not even 8 AM, and #Bengaluru is choked already. Thanks to the #biketaxi ban, had to take an auto. Give me walkable shortest paths to the bus stops and bike lanes, please. This is no way to create cities." 'Struggling with high cab fares and traffic in Bangalore!! We need #BikeTaxi now more than ever!! #AffordableCommute #BringBackBikeTaxi," a person said. #WeNeedBikeTaxi Struggling with high cab fares and traffic in Bangalore !! We need #BikeTaxi now more than ever !! #AffordableCommute #BringBackBikeTaxi — satish ranjan (@koolsatish123) June 17, 2025 Pointing out the difference the ban has made, an individual said, 'My friend usually books bike taxis for Rs 70–80 after work. But with the ban, no autos accepted rides at night—one even demanded Rs 200, refusing the meter. Govt policies always end up making life harder for common people." My friend usually books bike taxis for ₹70–80 after work. But with the ban, no autos accepted rides at night—one even demanded ₹200, refusing the meter. Govt policies always end up making life harder for common people #BikeTaxiBan #biketaxi #KarnatakaNeedsBikeTaxis — Ayush Agarwal (@Ayush14996) June 16, 2025 'Traffic seems to have increased 5X times ever since they stopped bike taxis in Bangalore," someone wrote. Traffic seems to have increased to 5X times ever since they stopped bike taxis in Bangalore.— Rajvi (@rajvishah30) June 18, 2025 'I'm paying literally Rs 500 every day just for the commute now. Insanity," read another comment. I'm paying literally 500rs everyday just for commute now. insanity— (@GaurangGujrati) June 18, 2025 'I went around asking auto drivers for a 3 km trip. No one was ready to come on meter, and the cheapest bid I got was for 70Rs/km. Bring back #biketaxi," a user demanded. I went around asking Auto drivers for a 3km trip. NO-ONE was ready to come on Meter and the cheapest bid I got was for 70Rs/km. Bring back #biketaxi — Thinaan Vendi Jeevikyunu (@only1life2eat) June 16, 2025 What Sparked The Ban? Bike taxis in Karnataka were officially suspended on June 16, 2025, after the High Court declined to stay an earlier order requiring aggregators to cease operations until proper state regulations are established. The issue dates back to 2022, when petitioners urged the court to allow motorcycles to be registered as transport vehicles, thereby legalising bike taxi services. A temporary order had initially restrained the state from taking action against these services. But on April 2, 2025, the court dismissed these petitions. It cited findings from a 2019 expert committee report that raised concerns about the safety and traffic impact of bike taxis. The court also instructed the state government to come up with rules within three months, which the state has yet to do. About the Author Buzz Staff A team of writers at bring you stories on what's creating the buzz on the Internet while exploring science, cricket, tech, gender, Bollywood, and culture. News18's viral page features trending stories, videos, and memes, covering quirky incidents, social media buzz from india and around the world, Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published: June 20, 2025, 09:01 IST
TechCrunch
29-05-2025
- Business
- TechCrunch
Lightspeed backs Indian home services startup Snabbit as the next big consumer trend
Home services in India — whether it is cleaning, dishwashing, or laundry — have traditionally been offline and informally run. This has often resulted in delays and uncertainties for consumers, as well as inconsistent pay and job insecurity for workers. Recently, however, startups have begun viewing this area as ripe for transformation, leveraging technology to bring predictability, scalability, and structure to the space. Snabbit, founded last year, is one of the early movers in this arena, enabling customers to book high-frequency home services, including cleaning, dishwashing, laundry, and kitchen preparation, through its app, with delivery as early as 10 minutes. The startup has now raised $19 million in a Series B round led by Lightspeed, with participation from its existing investors Elevation Capital and Nexus Venture Partners, at a post-money valuation of $80 million to expand its presence. The 15-month-old startup launched its quick-service platform in the western Indian city of Mumbai, the country's financial capital, after founder and CEO Ayush Agarwal personally experienced the challenges of finding reliable home services. At one point, Agarwal told TechCrunch the situation became so difficult that his mother had to fly in from the eastern Indian city of Kolkata to help him find a new domestic worker. 'What stayed with me was that in a world of convenience where you can press a button, and you'll get a cab, or you'll get food or groceries, you can even get someone to go out on a date with, but finding someone for a simple service at home was excruciatingly difficult,' he said in an interview. The startup ran experiments in early last year and remained in one micro market in Mumbai for the first 12 months before expanding to seven markets in the city and one in Bengaluru. Snabbit took a 'full-stack approach' to sourcing, screening, training, onboarding, and managing workers, who the startup calls 'experts.' Once Snabbit signs them, it has the workers move close to the startup's demand centers so they can fulfill the company's promise to provide service in 10 minutes. Snabbit is not alone in this race, as incumbent Urban Company (backed by storied investors including Accel, Prosus, and Tiger Global) started a similar experience on its app earlier this year. However, the company faced criticism due to the initial message it conveyed and the name Insta Maids, which it later corrected and renamed to Insta Help. This did not help convince many, including gig worker unions, though. Techcrunch event Save now through June 4 for TechCrunch Sessions: AI Save $300 on your ticket to TC Sessions: AI—and get 50% off a second. Hear from leaders at OpenAI, Anthropic, Khosla Ventures, and more during a full day of expert insights, hands-on workshops, and high-impact networking. These low-rate deals disappear when the doors open on June 5. Exhibit at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot at TC Sessions: AI and show 1,200+ decision-makers what you've built — without the big spend. Available through May 9 or while tables last. Berkeley, CA | REGISTER NOW Similarly, newer entrants including Broomies and Pronto have also joined the arena recently. The latter even recently attracted Bain Capital Ventures for its seed funding. 'We know that the market is heating up,' he said. 'The category is getting exciting, new players are coming in and getting funded. And I think all of it is great for us as long as we keep executing relentlessly.' The startup charges customers between ₹169 (about $2) and ₹499 (nearly $6) to avail services of up to 240 minutes. The pricing is higher than that of Urban Company's Insta Help, which starts at ₹49 (50 cents). However, Agarwal said the startup continued to grow and scale even after Urban Company's foray into the market. Agarwal hopes to compete with a consistent customer experience using its in-house tech stack that includes an internal CRM tool, a sourcing and screening pipeline, and an eKYC process to better comply with local regulations. Snabbit currently has over 600 workers on its platform, and each of them covers a median walking distance of 300 meters between two jobs. It has also partnered with the mobility startup Yulu to train and provide ebikes to its women workers, covering a larger median distance of 800 meters between their jobs. Moreover, Agarwal told TechCrunch that the startup will reduce the median distance for its workers as it scales. The average ticket size on Snabbit's platform is between ₹250-₹270 (about $3), while its workers completing a 12-hour shift earn 'upward' of ₹40,000 ($470) a month. For completing 4 hours a day on the platform, the workers get over ₹10,000 ($120) a month, Agarwal said, adding that workers are also eligible for bonuses. Agarwal contends that workers can earn more than the roughly ₹9,000 ($100) that domestic helpers in urban locations are typically paid in the country, per the International Domestic Workers Federation (PDF). Better treatment for domestic workers Snabbit also provides personal life insurance, health insurance, and accidental insurance to all its workers, as well as family insurance to those who have been with the startup for some time. Workplace abuse has also been quite prevalent for domestic workers in India, as the country predominantly lacks protective laws. For such cases, the startup provides an SOS feature on its app that workers can use to call a field operations team, which reaches the location within 'five to seven minutes' to help workers in edge situations, the founder said. Over the last four months, Agarwal stated the startup grew 5x and is currently growing around 20% week-over-week. It plans to expand to over 200 micro markets across metro cities in India within the next nine months by utilizing the fresh capital and hire more employees in its workforce that has nearly 100 people. That said, several hyperlocal consumer apps have been tried and failed repeatedly. For instance, food deliveries imploded globally in 2023 after the pandemic-led lockdowns eased, but they started facing challenges in the last few months. Even in India, instant food delivery models introduced by quick commerce platforms including Zepto and Zomato have struggled. The former paused its 10-minute cafe services due to supply constraints, while the latter halted its 15-minute food delivery service just four months after launch, citing 'no incrementality in demand.' The cost of acquiring customers and providing suppliers in their location is expensive and often hard to pay over time. In Snabbit's case, TechCrunch has learned that the customer acquisition cost is ₹700 ($8), while its average ticket size is about $3. The startup has onboarded over 25,000 customers so far, and an average customer transacts on the platform at least three times a month, per Agarwal. 'Our retention rates are as good as any consumer internet company, say, a Zepto or Swiggy, would be having,' the executive said. Nevertheless, it remains to be seen how the startup can retain its customers over time and beat the competition while continuing to scale and expand its market in India. 'Snabbit is transforming home services in India by bringing speed, structure, and trust to a sector that has largely operated informally until now,' said Rahul Taneja, a partner at Lightspeed, in a prepared statement. 'We are excited to join them on this journey and support their mission to transform and scale what was once considered a luxury into a day-to-day necessity.'
