Commercial vehicle startup 91Trucks has reportedly laid off nearly 70% of its workforce and shut several stores as slowing growth forces the company to rethink its expansion strategy.
Not long ago, 91Trucks was among a new crop of startups looking to modernize India's fragmented commercial vehicle market. Armed with a digital platform and ambitions that extended beyond the internet, the Gurugram-based company had bet on both online discovery and offline retail to build trust with truck buyers. But that growth journey has now taken a sharp turn.
According to reports, 91Trucks has laid off nearly 70% of its workforce and shut multiple stores as slowing growth and rising operational pressures forced the company to scale back. The move marks one of the steepest restructurings seen in India's commercial vehicle startup ecosystem in recent months.
Founded in 2022, the startup positioned itself as a one-stop platform for discovering, comparing, financing, and purchasing commercial vehicles. It later expanded into physical retail outlets, aiming to bridge the gap between digital convenience and offline transactions.
However, the startup ecosystem has changed dramatically over the last two years. Investors are increasingly prioritizing sustainable growth over aggressive expansion, while companies across sectors are being pushed to conserve cash and improve unit economics.
Against that backdrop, 91Trucks appears to be recalibrating its business. People familiar with the matter suggest the company has significantly reduced its operational footprint as it focuses on preserving capital and streamlining operations.
For employees impacted by the layoffs, the development represents a difficult chapter. For the company, it is an attempt to adapt to a market that rewards efficiency more than speed.
The story of 91Trucks reflects a broader shift underway in India's startup ecosystem: growth may still matter, but survival and sustainability matter even more.
Filed by
Startup Unplugged
