From Everyday Commuter Challenges to a Technology-Driven Startup

For thousands of cab drivers across India, waiting in long queues at CNG stations has long been an unavoidable part of their daily routine. Hours spent waiting translate directly into lost earnings, yet drivers often have no reliable way of knowing which station has shorter queues or better fuel availability. Recognising this overlooked challenge became the foundation of Nawgati.

Founded by Vaibhav Kaushik, Aalaap Nair and Aryan Sisodia while they were students at BITS Pilani, Nawgati emerged from conversations with cab drivers who were losing valuable working hours at CNG stations. The founders identified that the real problem was not necessarily a shortage of fuel stations but the absence of real-time information about queue lengths and waiting times.

This insight led to the development of Nawgati’s first product, designed to help drivers identify fuel stations and make informed decisions about where to refuel. The initial ₹7 lakh funding helped the team transform its idea into a working prototype and test it with real users.

However, the startup’s early journey coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, which significantly disrupted mobility. Instead of focusing on short-term growth, the team concentrated on strengthening its technology and architecture. This period reinforced the importance of staying connected to a genuine problem, maintaining lean operations and preparing for changing market conditions.

Building Beyond a Consumer Application

What began as a consumer-focused fuel discovery platform gradually evolved into a broader fuel-tech ecosystem.

Nawgati developed a two-sided business model through its consumer-facing Nawgati Fuelling App and its enterprise technology platform, Aaveg. While the consumer application provides information about real-time queues, fuel availability and pricing, Aaveg enables fuel retailers to monitor station operations and access predictive insights.

The company’s approach focuses on creating a connected intelligence layer between consumers and fuel retailers. Drivers benefit from better information and reduced waiting times, while station operators gain greater visibility into their operations.

Technology plays a central role in this transformation. Aaveg integrates with existing infrastructure, including CCTV cameras, dispensers, compressors, storage systems and vehicle-tracking systems. Using computer vision and analytics, the platform converts operational signals into real-time insights.

By working with existing infrastructure rather than requiring additional hardware installations, Nawgati aims to make technology adoption more accessible and cost-effective for fuel retailers.

For station operators, this enables automated monitoring, improved demand forecasting and better manpower allocation. For consumers, it translates into more informed fuelling decisions and potentially shorter waiting times.

Building Trust Through Industry Partnerships

Establishing credibility in the traditional fuel retail industry required more than developing an innovative product. Nawgati’s early pilot with Indraprastha Gas Limited became an important milestone in demonstrating the practical value of its technology.

According to Kaushik, reliability and measurable operational outcomes are essential when working with large industry players. Demonstrating how a solution performs in real operating environments helps establish trust and creates opportunities for further collaboration.

The company has reported significant progress in user adoption and operational performance. Nawgati currently has 3.5 million users, demonstrating the growing demand for real-time fuelling information.

Its reported operational outcomes include a 10–15% reduction in on-ground congestion at high-traffic locations and more than an 80% reduction in CNG dryouts. The platform has also contributed to improved throughput during peak hours and better visibility at lower-footfall stations.

Funding and Expansion Strategy

Nawgati’s growth has been supported by multiple funding and industry partnerships. GAIL invested in the company under its PANKH initiative to support the digitisation of the fuelling journey. Its seed funding also received backing from All In Capital, MeitY and a group of high-net-worth individuals.

In 2025, Nawgati raised $2.5 million in Pre-Series A funding led by Ajay Upadhyaya, with participation from the Deepak Bhagnani Family Office, MeitY Startup Hub and Aamara Capital.

The company plans to utilise this capital to scale its fuel-tech solutions across more fuel providers and strengthen its international presence.

One of its important expansion markets is the UAE, where Nawgati sees similar challenges around congestion, limited operational visibility and manual station management. Its hardware-light technology model offers an opportunity to adapt its existing solutions to different fuel retail ecosystems without rebuilding the core platform.

Preparing for the Future of Connected Mobility

As the mobility industry moves towards cleaner energy alternatives, Nawgati is positioning itself beyond conventional petrol, diesel and CNG infrastructure.

The company’s long-term vision is to transform fuel stations into connected mobility hubs capable of supporting multiple energy sources, including EV charging infrastructure.

Alongside this, Nawgati is deepening its fleet partnerships to help logistics companies reduce idle time and optimise routes. Predictive analytics is also expected to play a growing role in forecasting congestion, improving staffing decisions and strengthening station-level operations.

For the company, the future lies in building a common digital backbone connecting fuel retailers, fleet operators and consumers as the mobility ecosystem evolves.

Vision 2030: Making Fuel Retail Intelligent

Looking towards 2030, Nawgati is working towards a target of 20,000 outlets and a stronger international presence.

Artificial intelligence is central to this ambition. Through Aaveg, the company is expanding its use of computer vision and analytics to provide real-time visibility into compliance, vehicle movement and operational inefficiencies.

It is also developing predictive capabilities for congestion management and workforce planning, while building a large real-time mobility dataset that could support smarter infrastructure planning and create additional business opportunities.

Kaushik believes AI will gradually move fuel retail operations away from manual and reactive management towards proactive, data-driven decision-making.

Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Reflecting on his entrepreneurial journey, Kaushik emphasises the importance of understanding real-world problems before building solutions.

He believes that Nawgati’s journey began not with a market report but with conversations with drivers who experienced the problem every day.

His advice to aspiring entrepreneurs, particularly those entering traditional industries, is to remain patient, listen to customers and focus on delivering reliable solutions. Industries with high operational stakes require trust, consistency and a clear demonstration of value.

For Kaushik, entrepreneurship is not about waiting until one has enough experience. It is about taking the initiative, learning through execution and building technology that makes a meaningful difference.

From helping drivers avoid long queues at CNG stations to developing an AI-powered intelligence platform for fuel retailers, Nawgati’s journey reflects how solving an everyday operational challenge can create opportunities for wider industry transformation.

Interview By : Palak