Biography of Rajesh Yabaji: Founder and CEO of BlackBuck -Entrepreneur
Biography of Rajesh Yabaji:
From Kharagpur to Corporate Dreams
Rajesh Yabaji began his journey at the prestigious Indian Institute of
Technology, Kharagpur, where he pursued a dual degree program
between 2005 and 2010. Apart from academics, he was deeply involved in
activities like dramatics, basketball, pole vault, choreography, and swimming.
This blend of discipline and creativity hinted early on at his potential to
lead and innovate.
Building Skills at ITC
After graduation, Rajesh joined ITC Limited, one of India’s largest
corporations. Over nearly five years, he worked in supply chain
management and later as a Category Development Manager. His role
often required him to travel across India, especially to toll plazas and
trucking hubs, giving him a ground-level view of the challenges in India’s
logistics industry.
The Spark of an Idea
During his time at ITC, Rajesh noticed a big gap in how trucks were hired and
loads were managed. Unlike taxis, where apps like Ola and Uber were
simplifying transport, the trucking sector remained disorganized. This
sparked an idea — why not create an online trucking platform that
connected shippers directly with truckers? That insight would become the seed
of BlackBuck.
Founding BlackBuck
In April 2015, Rajesh co-founded BlackBuck (Zinka Logistics Solutions
Pvt. Ltd.) along with Chanakya Hridaya and Ramasubramaniam B.
Their mission was simple yet bold: bring the massive, chaotic trucking sector
online. They immediately raised $5 million in seed funding and began
building a product to make logistics smoother and smarter.
Early Vision: The Uber for Trucks
Rajesh described BlackBuck as being to trucks what Uber is to cars. The
idea was to build a tech-enabled marketplace where shippers could
quickly find available trucks, compare prices, and make bookings — all online.
This would not only improve efficiency but also help small fleet operators grow
with better access to work and fairer pricing.
Solving for the Big Players
In the early stages, BlackBuck focused on solving logistics problems for corporate
giants like Coca-Cola, HUL, and PepsiCo. Rajesh recalled that
these companies struggled with fragmented trucking services, and BlackBuck
offered a cleaner, more reliable alternative. The platform brought visibility,
accountability, and real-time tracking to an industry that had long lacked all
three.
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Rapid Tech Development
To scale operations, BlackBuck built its own digital platform, using data
science and machine learning to improve load matching and route efficiency.
They launched the BlackBuck App (originally called "Boss"), a
tool for truckers to find jobs, track routes, and get paid
— all from their smartphones. This step helped bring India’s rural trucking
community online.
Scaling Up with Trust and Transparency
By 2019, BlackBuck had built a network of 1.2 million+ trucks and over 700,000
truckers. Their tech-first approach created transparent pricing, secure
payments, and reliable tracking for both shippers and truckers. The
company expanded its team to over 1,000 employees and began influencing
national-level policy reforms in logistics.
BlackBuck Becomes a Unicorn
Rajesh often said that BlackBuck was a “unicorn by heart” before the
numbers caught up. That changed in July 2021, when the company
officially reached unicorn status — a valuation of over $1 billion. This
milestone wasn’t just financial; it validated the hard work and vision that had
gone into reshaping one of India’s oldest industries.
Backing from Global Investors
Over time, BlackBuck attracted backing from major investors. The faith shown by
institutional and venture investors allowed the company to expand its
operations, develop future-ready products, and deepen its reach across
India’s supply chain. Rajesh’s leadership was instrumental in balancing
aggressive growth with product stability.
Driving Policy and National Change
BlackBuck partnered with the World Bank and the Indian
Government on key logistics reforms, including GST implementation, E-Way
Bills, and digital compliance frameworks. These initiatives
positioned BlackBuck as not just a tech company, but a policy influencer
helping formalize India’s trucking ecosystem.
Delivering Measurable Impact
As of December 2023, BlackBuck had over 15,000 enterprise clients,
showing the massive scale it had achieved. Its services — driven by data,
analytics, and a seamless interface — were now essential to many
businesses. Truckers benefited too, with better income visibility, insurance
options, and access to financing.
Looking Ahead: A Future-Ready Freight Industry
The Indian truck market is booming, with expected
sales of 345,700 trucks in 2024, projected to reach 403,000 by 2030.
Rajesh and his team at BlackBuck are investing in long-term tech, making
logistics smarter, simpler, and more human-centric. Their goal: make
India’s freight system globally competitive and deeply inclusive.
Mission with a Human Touch (Ongoing)
Rajesh sums up BlackBuck’s purpose well: “To make trucking simple,
intuitive, and efficient through cutting-edge technology.” But it’s not
just about machines — it’s also about uplifting the truck driver. With
every innovation, BlackBuck keeps the human core of logistics in focus,
ensuring that India’s truckers are empowered, respected, and rewarded.
Timeline Summary:
- 2005–2010:
IIT Kharagpur (Dual Degree)
- 2010–2015:
Worked at ITC in supply chain and category development
- April
2015: Founded BlackBuck with co-founders; raised $5M seed
- 2016–2019:
Built India's largest online trucking platform
- 2019:
1.2M+ trucks, 700K+ truckers, 1,000+ employees
- July
2021: Achieved Unicorn status
- 2023:
15,000+ clients, app widely adopted by truckers
- 2024–2030:
Trucking market projected to grow steadily
- Ongoing:
Driving innovation, human-centered logistics, national policy reform
