For many Sri Lankans, PickMe is the everyday app we use to get a ride, order food, or send a package. But what began as a way to hail a ride in Colombo has evolved into one of Sri Lanka’s most influential technology platforms. It is a platform shaped by local realities, building digital infrastructure for transport, commerce, and inclusion. Launched in Colombo in June 2015, PickMe completed over 9 million rides within its first two years. This early traction showed how quickly it met a real need. A decade later, it has built an expansive mobility ecosystem and marked a major milestone by going public on the Colombo Stock Exchange. PickMe’s journey reflects not just business growth but a broader transformation of how technology can drive inclusion, resilience, and smarter urban living in emerging markets. Ajit Gunewardene, Chairman of PickMe, and Jiffry Zulfer, Founder and CEO of PickMe, share how the company got here and where it’s headed next.
What were the major turning points in PickMe’s journey since its 2015 launch that helped establish it as Sri Lanka’s leading digital mobility platform?
Zulfer: It’s been a rollercoaster. 10 years honestly feels more like 2 or 3. One of the biggest turning points was raising our first round of capital. That early endorsement from our seed investors was key. Another big milestone was bringing in the IFC for our Series A. That was a game-changer. It validated our governance and the potential we offer to global investors.
From 2015 to 2017, we just kept building. We were doing 35,000 rides a day, with over 600,000 monthly users using us just for ride-hailing. After that, we started expanding. PickMe Trucks helped us use up underutilised cargo space, and PickMe Food brought lifestyle and food delivery into the platform.
But we had our tough times, like the 2016 floods, COVID, and the economic crisis. There were days we looked at our P&L and saw zero revenue. But we used those moments to pivot. During COVID, we repurposed our platform to enable grocery delivery, facilitated discounted rides to vaccination centres, and rolled out safety features like in-car partitions and in-app temperature indicators. During the economic crisis, someone said, “Let’s open a petrol shed,” and we did. It seems difficult at first, but then you see there’s always a way forward. That’s the kind of creativity that comes alive in a digital business.
How does PickMe’s vision of “Joyful Mobility for a Better Life” influence daily business decisions and long-term planning?
Zulfer: When we defined our core purpose, Joyful Mobility for a Better Life, we broke it down. “Joyful mobility” is about creating magical, meaningful experiences through what we build. I remember a driver once walked into our office and said, “Sir, this is like magic.” That really stayed with us. Even our friends started calling it that. It made us realise we’re not just building software. We’re giving people joy in their daily journeys. The “better life” part comes through how we impact both users and independent drivers. A driver registered on our platform is 80-90% utilised, compared to maybe 30-40% at a typical three-wheeler stand. So while our users enjoy lower prices, these drivers earn more. That’s a win-win.
We constantly ask ourselves if what we’re doing aligns with this purpose. Whether it’s at a leadership meeting or a town hall, we look at every decision and ask: Does this keep the magic alive? Does it help people? That includes our users, independent drivers, and even merchants. If it helps someone do more or live better, then we know we’re on the right track.
How do you balance profitability with your commitment to local empowerment and digital inclusion?
Ajit: What matters most to us is staying true to our core purpose, “Joyful Mobility for a Better Life.” That includes empowering local communities and driving digital inclusion. From the start, we’ve seen that PickMe became the first digital transaction platform for many Sri Lankans. People who had never used an app before were suddenly booking rides, paying online, and experiencing the digital economy for the first time.
We’ve seen users making their first cashless payments through credit or debit cards because of PickMe. That shift is real. When we launched, many drivers didn’t even own smartphones. Some didn’t have bank accounts. To register on our platform, a bank account was required. So we helped set up many of their first accounts. That was a turning point, both for them and for us. We didn’t realise we were also driving financial inclusion.
So while we do keep an eye on sustainability, we’ve never lost sight of the bigger picture. If we can keep bringing more people into the digital ecosystem, then we’re doing something right, and the rest will follow.
What role do big data and real-time tech play in optimising services across ride-hailing, food delivery, and parcel logistics?
Zulfer: We’ve accumulated a huge amount of data. In the early days, we called ourselves a data-driven company. Now, we see ourselves as more AI-driven. The shift is clear, and we’re leaning into it. For us, it’s all about using this data to improve the experience for everyone: users, drivers, merchants, and more. As a technology company, we are constantly harnessing AI to transform service delivery across ride-hailing, food, and logistics. Whether it’s reducing wait times or improving route optimisation and leveraging smart assistants, the goal is to deliver better outcomes for everyone involved.
We also use our data for broader impact. We work with the Ministry of Transportation to help them make infrastructure decisions. We’ve even shared data to assess whether a flyover in a particular area is justified. Similarly, we collaborate with universities so researchers can use our data to generate insights that benefit the country. Internally, our data helps guide innovation and refine our operations. But we’re mindful of our responsibility and are committed to using data ethically and transparently, always keeping our stakeholders and the country’s interests in mind.
We’ve stayed committed to a tech-first approach. We’ve invested over Rs1 billion last year on technology and intellectual property, which includes AI-powered forecasting, smarter dispatch systems, and revamping the passenger app. We’ve managed to do all this while being careful with how we spend. We’ve stayed lean, avoided debt, and kept adequate cash reserves so we can keep building. Smarter platforms also mean being able to capture more rides per hour and better earnings for independent drivers, while users get faster and more affordable trips. This same technology also supports our independent merchants, so with these investments, everyone benefits.
How does PickMe maintain its competitive edge in an evolving mobility and delivery market in Sri Lanka?
Zulfer: Our data constantly shows us where we can improve stakeholder experiences. It helps us prioritise the right features and make better decisions. But data alone isn’t enough. Innovation is at the heart of what we do. It’s one of our core values, and it’s how we stay relevant in a fast-moving market. We don’t want to end up like BlackBerry, so we make it a point to keep innovating. That starts with understanding our users deeply. Whether it’s passengers, independent drivers, merchants, or food delivery users, we listen carefully and try to live their experiences so we can respond meaningfully. Keeping our ears to the ground is what helps us stay ahead.
What are the most unique challenges of operating a mobility platform in Sri Lanka, and how has PickMe adapted to them?
Ajit: One of the biggest challenges is educating everyone about the digital era. As a company, we’re constantly guiding all our stakeholders through this shift. We’re what I’d call a 4.0 company, arguably the first of its kind to list on the Colombo Stock Exchange. The way we operate is very different from traditional businesses.
A major challenge we face is outdated policies. Many were built for a brick-and-mortar economy and don’t reflect today’s digital reality. For example, as a local company, we’re taxed in ways that foreign players are not. There’s also a lack of clarity around how digital products are regulated. Agencies like the Consumer Authority haven’t yet adapted to this space. Even labour laws need updating for the gig economy, where people may work just an hour or two a day. We’ve certainly come a long way, but there’s still more to do if we want digital startups to thrive.
We’ve also had to adapt to behaviour on the ground. Many drivers still prefer cash because it’s familiar and gives them immediate liquidity. That’s something we’ve worked to change, so we introduced same-day payouts and offered incentives to shift them towards digital wallets. We’ve made sure to show the long-term value of staying on-platform, from better earning potential to more safety and reliability. It’s an ongoing effort, but it’s working.
What differentiates PickMe from international competitors or other regional players entering the market?
Ajit: We’re a Sri Lankan company, built by Sri Lankans for Sri Lankans. That’s a huge differentiator. We know the ground reality, we understand the people, and we’re solving problems we experience ourselves. There’s passion in what we do. Our engineers build features that their own parents, friends, and neighbours use. And when it works, they hear about it. If it doesn’t, they hear about that too. That feedback loop is very real, and we love it.
We’ve also woven ourselves into the socioeconomic fabric of the country. We go beyond facilitating rides and deliveries. We offer things like insurance through third parties, tools that help drivers manage their earnings, and financial guidance for people in the gig economy. That’s something we’ve taken seriously from early on. The magic lies in our software. We use it to connect all our stakeholders, passengers, drivers, and merchants, and give them the best possible experience. Sometimes, drivers feel we favour passengers, and passengers feel we favour drivers. But we’re a neutral tech platform, and our job is to create something fair, useful, and rewarding for everyone involved.
What are your current initiatives towards sustainability and reducing the environmental impact of urban transport?
Zulfer: We believe that if you can press a button and have a vehicle arrive at your doorstep, you may not need to own one. That’s the experience we’re building: on-demand, reliable, and accessible mobility across the country. Of course, it’s not easy. Whether it’s midnight or pouring rain, we’re working to make sure a vehicle is always available. If we can do that consistently, people won’t need personal vehicles. That reduces traffic, pollution, and makes our cities more sustainable.
We’re also exploring how to support public transport. It’s a regulated space, but with the data we have, we believe we can improve usage of buses and trains by making them more efficient and user-friendly. Beyond that, we’re also thinking about how mobility can help working mothers. Many women leave the workforce after having children due to daily responsibilities like school drop-offs. We’re looking at how our platform can support safer, more flexible transport options for families. We already see more women using PickMe and even joining as independent drivers, which we’re proud of. There’s more to do, but we believe we can make a real difference.
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