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In focus
- Don’t miss our Big Interview with Bluebird’s top boss
- Revisit our story that spotlighted Xanh SM, now a key rival to Bluebird in Indonesia
- You can’t spell billionaire without AI
Hello reader,
When ride-hailing startups began picking up steam in the 2010s, many feared they would destroy taxi companies the world over.
That may have happened in the US, but in Southeast Asia? Not so much.
Anecdotally, I still see plenty of “traditional” cabs on the streets of Hanoi despite the influx of Grab and the like. Empirically, today’s Big Story dives into how a 53-year-old Indonesian taxi company is holding its own against ride-hailing platforms.
Putra Muskita’s interview with Adrianto “Andre” Djokosoetono, CEO of Bluebird Group, covers a lot of ground – perhaps as much as the firm’s nearly 25,000 vehicles cover in a day.
As a family-run business that’s been around since 1972, Bluebird might have been the ideal candidate for the chopping block via ride-hailing. Instead, the company has weathered venture-backed storms by leaning into its strengths, modernizing with deliberation, and forging alliances with Grab and Gojek rather than seeing them solely as competitors.
It’s not been all smooth sailing (driving?), of course, but Bluebird has kept its wheels firmly on the road.
Buckle up and read on.
Peter Cowan, engagement editor
The Big Story
Bluebird bets on quality beating out VC burn rates
Image credit: Tech in Asia
The taxi titan’s journey offers a counterpoint to the usual “disrupt or be disrupted” narrative so common in the startup world.
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