OkayKer, an innovative startup providing a holistic platform that bridges car owners with maintenance workshops, has raised seed funding to $700,000.
This financial injection bolsters its expansion throughout Pakistan and sets the stage for its inaugural automotive emergency service.
OkayKern is established by Nashit Iqbal, Hasnain Akber, Asjad Amin, and Anusha Shahid — who have an impressive track record with startups like Careem, Daraz, and FindMyAdventure; OkayKer has attracted a host of institutional investors. Among these are Orbit Startups, Cur8 Capital, FRIM Venture, Sabr Capital, and a slew of both local and international angel investors.
OkayKer’s primary objective is to fortify the country’s 500,000 workshops and parts retailers. These establishments, run by skilled technicians, often have limited resources and lack the know-how to digitize their businesses. Concurrently, the startup seeks to streamline the car maintenance experience for vehicle owners who frequently worry about potential scams in workshops.
Through its platform, OkayKer aims to boost productivity and revenue for car workshops and offer vehicle owners the convenience of location-based services and guarantees for completed work. The startup’s mobile application allows customers to schedule appointments easily. At the same time, its Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software, OkayCore, equips workshops with the ability to record transactions, attract new customers, source spare parts, and access essential business tools like payment gateways and financial services.
OkayKer has successfully serviced more than 10,000 cars over 26 months from humble beginnings of just three orders per day. It has integrated over 250 vendors to supply 30,000 SKUs across Karachi, linking to a network of 850 workshops spread across the city and serving upwards of 7,500 car owners. The startup has reportedly increased workshop revenue by 110%, primarily by enhancing its utilization rates.
Currently, OkayKer is formulating partnerships with lubricant brands to counteract the endemic issue of fake products in the market, a move underscored by a recently signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mobil.
In its forward-looking strategy, OkayKer intends to extend its services from Karachi to Khunjerab, simultaneously introducing the country’s first automotive emergency service via its network of workshops.
