How A Former ISRO Scientist Built Rs 2 Crore Cab Service Business

Uthaya Kumar, a scientist at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), left his job after seven years and launched a cab service start-up. His business now generates an annual revenue of Rs 2 crore. His inspiring journey has been widely praised on social media.

Mr Kumar’s story was share on LinkedIn by Ramabhadran Sundaram, who met him during a ride. “My Uber driver has a PhD in Statistics. He used to work with ISRO – Indian Space Research Organization. He inspired me with leadership lessons. From a small town in the Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu, Uthaya Kumar completed his M.Phil. and PhD before joining ISRO,” Mr Sundaram said on LinkedIn.

Uthaya Kumar’s entrepreneurial journey began in 2017 with the support of a few friends who helped raise the money to start ST Cabs, a company he named after his parents, Sukumaran and Thulasi. During his time in ISRO, Mr Kumar worked on reducing bubbles in liquid fuels to maintain their density, preventing explosions during launches, said Mr Sundaram.

According to the LinkedIn post, Uthaya Kumar, along with his brother, now manages a fleet of 37 cars. They have just three years left to finish paying off all their EMIs. The start-up currently earns Rs 2 crore every year.

User Reactions On Post

One user commented, “Nice read. I had a similar experience once with an Uber driver here in the USA, who had a Harvard degree and was a medical professional.” Another wrote, “I always make it a point to talk to cab drivers when I take a cab. It helps to hear different perspectives outside my regular circle of family, colleagues, and friends.” 

Yet another user remarked, “There are many such untold stories… Thank you for being the voice of one such story… Inspiring!” A fourth LinkedIn user added, “This interaction must have been so insightful.”