Business Remedies | Rajshree Upadhyaya | June 10,2025 | Success surely follows when one moves forward with a clear goal. Ranjit Deshmukh, the founder of RoadBounce, is a testament to this. He has carved a niche for himself by revolutionizing road safety and infrastructure maintenance in India through the use of smartphones. In 2016, engineer and IIM Ahmedabad alumnus Ranjit Deshmukh recognized the limitations of traditional road inspections, costly equipment, slow processes, and limited coverage. He envisioned a faster, scalable, and cost-effective solution using smartphone sensors, GPS, and AI.
RoadBounce’s technology revolves around a mobile app that detects vibrations caused by uneven roads. This data, combined with GPS coordinates, calculates road roughness, identifies potholes and hazards, and generates detailed maps. This real-time data enables municipal bodies and authorities to shift from reactive to proactive road maintenance, reducing costs and improving safety. Within just two months of launch, RoadBounce’s system scanned over 22,000 kilometers, proving its ability to deliver large-scale actionable insights.
Securing Clients in Public and Private Sectors
By 2019-20, RoadBounce had acquired paying clients in both government and private sectors, generating nearly Rs. 1.5 crore in revenue. The COVID-19 pandemic slowed growth, reducing revenue to about Rs. 30 lakh in 2020-21. However, in 2022, the company made a comeback with contracts worth Rs. 2.5 crore, regaining momentum and trust.
A turning point came in January 2022 when Ranjit appeared on Shark Tank India, seeking Rs. 80 lakh for 10% equity, valuing the company at Rs. 8 crore. At that time, RoadBounce had surveyed over 50,000 km of roads for various government clients. While some sharks doubted its advantage over free data from Google Maps or Ola, Piyush Bansal saw its unique value and offered Rs. 80 lakh for 20% equity, valuing it at Rs. 4 crore. Ranjit accepted on-air, though the formal deal didn’t materialize. Nevertheless, the exposure significantly boosted RoadBounce’s profile and attracted attention from government bodies and entrepreneurs.
A Proven Alternative to Hardware-Heavy Road Inspection Methods
In 2023, RoadBounce won the Maruti Suzuki MAIL Innovation Program, confirming its app-based road inspection tech as a superior alternative to hardware-heavy methods. Its use extended beyond India, with Singapore deploying the technology for crack detection, showcasing its global potential.
The innovation lies in turning everyday smartphones into precise road scanners, enabling widespread, low-cost data collection with real-time insights on road quality. This helps optimize maintenance, cut costs by up to 50%, and enhance commuter safety. Clients include municipal bodies, Smart City projects, automotive manufacturers, and fleet operators. The data also supports automotive suspension testing, improving vehicle safety and comfort.
Providing Data and Analysis on Road Conditions to Governments and Companies
Ranjit’s entrepreneurial journey shaped the vision behind RoadBounce. After surviving the 9/11 attacks while working at Nasdaq in New York, he returned to India and launched a startup called ShipNow, which he later sold. Despite failures, including an unsuccessful healthcare venture, he combined his technical expertise with business acumen from IIM Ahmedabad to develop a scalable, impactful solution.
Today, RoadBounce primarily operates on a B2B SaaS model, providing road condition data and analytics to governments and corporations. This model enables smarter, data-driven decisions for urban infrastructure management. The company is steadily expanding across India, exploring exports, and strengthening partnerships.
Reshaping the Future of Road Infrastructure
RoadBounce demonstrates how technology and entrepreneurship can solve long-standing infrastructure challenges. By using smartphone sensors for road diagnostics, it offers a cost-effective and scalable solution to improve road safety and maintenance. From a simple tech-based startup to gaining national recognition and international interest, RoadBounce is reshaping the future of road infrastructure and paving the way for safer, smarter travel.
Written & Edited By:
Rajshree Upadhyaya
