Hitchhiking with benefits: Rocket Internet’s Tripda gets $11M funding

Tripda, Rocket Internet’s attempt at making a carpooling community, ventured into Asia last September after earlier launching in South America. Today, Tripda revealed that it has secured US$11 million in series A funding.

There’s no word from Tripda on the investors involved (except that it’s “a prominent New-York based investor”), but today’s announcement says the money will be used to grow within its 13 current countries, as well as expand to additional foreign markets in due course.

In Asia, the carpool finder works in India, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, and Taiwan. The site feels a bit empty at this stage. Tripda hasn’t provided any user numbers.

Rather than focus on regular commutes, Tripda is aimed at people who want to fill an empty seat in the car for a long trip. But this isn’t exactly 21st century hitchhiking – money must change hands. Users with a vehicle can post their journey ahead of time and suggest a price for the passenger. In theory it’ll be cheaper than a train or bus ride for the passenger.

BlaBlaCar, a starup from France, is doing a similar thing, but that’s aimed at mostly developing markets. BlaBlaCar attracted US$100 million in funding last summer. As is usual with Rocket Intenet, it’s applying this established idea to developing markets.

See: Rocket Internet’s EasyTaxi exits Taiwan, marking yet another withdrawal from Asia