New Delhi-based PressPlay Entertainment has raised a $500k angel round to expand its novel approach to in-seat entertainment for travelers in the world's second-most populous country.
While the specific investors participating were not named by co-founder Anand Sinha, the funds will be used to expand the service and invest in the hardware and content necessary to deliver the business model.
Co-founder Sinha:
I travelled throughout the country in buses and realised that there was absolutely no form of entertainment in these long journeys. So, to overtake the boredom I set up PressPlay along with George Abraham.
The service mirrors how commerce works on the bus system in the country, with vendors hopping on and off to hawk wares to passengers. Except in this case its not food or clothing for sale - it's content.
PressPlay rents devices to passengers to view content during the journey, and has developed a means to attach the device to the seatback to ensure security. Before the bus leaves, a PressPlay operator pitches the product, and then attaches the device prior to departure.
The startup, which already has nearly 80 employees, has deals with games and movie studios to provide the content for rent. The company currently has 30 movies, 1,000 songs, 10 documentaries and cartoons loaded on each tablet, with a total of 1,000 tablets in circulation.
The cost is Rs100 for a five hour journey, and has served over 25,000 users in 8 cities.
Future growth will come from expanding the bus network, in addition to taxi operators in eight cities. The startup plans to further enhance the product itself with Internet access and online shopping.