Ula: Why Jeff Bezos is betting on this Indonesian e-commerce start-up

Indonesian e-commerce start-up Ula is a wholesale marketplace aiming to modernize the country's millions of mom-and-pop kiosks, or warungs, by providing inventory and delivery services as well as financing. 

Founded in January 2020 by CEO Nipun Mehra, the company has thrived under a pandemic-induced shift to digital, so far raising over $117 million in funding from big names like Tencent and Lightspeed Venture Partners.

One among them is Bezos Expeditions, whose billionaire owner was told about Ula by one of the start-up's early backers. 

In a region where Amazon has limited presence, Jeff Bezos's investment of an undisclosed sum through his family office can be seen as a vote of confidence. 

"If you'd have asked me at that time that there would be a day, you know, 15 years later, where this moment would come, I would have probably been like it's a dream," Mehra, a former Amazon employee, told CNBC Make It.

Watch the video above to find out how a former Amazon software engineer and his co-founders are reinventing e-commerce for a new market, and securing serious funding as they go.

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[ikhsanrobbani]

It is good to see lot investors support Indonesia start up. They are really understand the opportunity. I hope my country will give the best thing to the people worldwide.

[FawwazSyarif]

Indonesia already have similar Startups such as Warung Pintar and Mitra Bukalapak. It'll be interesting to see these techy warung's distributors to compete

[FinancialShinanigan]

Money goes where more money will grow.

[ranggiarohmansani]

This video feels like hard selling, especially with all provided footage, as Indonesian never heard them before, and their solution is nothing new in Indonesian market, eg.Grab Mart/Go Mart/Buka Warung.

[reefighter]

Never heard of ula. Never seen any warung nearby using this app too

[andriematondang]

Amazing! Indonesia has myriad potentials... New gold in the south east asia

[dsulyatacademy]

Just because a popular billionaire has invested in a business, does not guarantee the success of a business..

E-commerce in Indonesia has been and will always be a red ocean. It's bloody.

Ula has to compete with gigantic players like Tokopedia( a local pioneer that has joined alliance with Gojek, a decacorn), Bukalapak another local pioneer who has just gone IPO with Mitra Bukalapak concept, not to mention Shopee - Singaporean giant is also playing there.

It's tough man.

Even if Ula manages to keep growing, and get a share of the final market pie, it's gonna be small. So small..

[chaturanga]

What? is he Indian? Keep growing brothers and sisters of Indonesia love from India 🇮🇳♥️🇮🇩

[zionmatrix]

As d people who r staying in indo, we dont know theres ula, its not well known yet

[JasonNathanael]

Love their vision. But their numbers are so far behind Mitra Bukalapak...

[Jammuwalaa]

Again a Indian making efforts to make it big. Kudos to you.!

[andriardian]

sudah banyak yang mau masuk ke sektor ini jaringan kerajaan warung kelontong, Bukalapak dengan buka warung, Tokopedia juga pernah masuk, Sampoerna dengan SRC, Gudang garam dengan GGSP. ula mencoba masuk untuk memperpendek rantai distribusi retail kelontong. tapi ula lupa, pemilik warung kelontong adalah individu bebas yang menjadikan harga sebagai basic utama. selama anda masuk dan harga paling murah pasti diambil sama pengelola warung. selisih Rp100 aja sangat berarti. hal lain yang fundamental adalah ketersediaan barang. problem terbesar para founder ula adalah: mereka tidak pernah belanja di warung kelontong.

saya akui jika bisa mengalahkan jaringan kelontong madura, kalian hebat. lawan kalian itu di jalanan, di lapangan, memiliki jaringan rantai distribusi yang kokoh dan kuat.

dear founder, mulailah dengan belanja di warung kelontong bukan di minimarket,

[blumoi]

As an Indonesian. I think their ideas would be better if they provide raw food products such as peeled and cut vegetables (carrots), I'm often lazy to cut vegetables in the morning, but I don't like shopping for ready-made food at restaurants or places to eat because of too much Salt, Msg and Sugar is not good for long term health.

I hope they can provide fresh fish without scales and gills, and fresh cut vegetables (Not Frozen), which are managed by small home businesses, to create jobs and local employment opportunities.

I like to prepare food in the morning for breakfast and lunch box for the office, but lazy to cut and peel vegetables.

[SoftOneS]

ULA is still small compared to MitraBukalapak with more than 8 milions small business partner

[DevoSatria]

Aplikasi nya belum running, masa lokasi tangerang gak available, banyak banget startup beginian jaman sekarang. Harga lebih mahal dari pada normal

[FawwazSyarif]

Any reason behind the name "Ula"? Ula in javanese means snake & Ula(h) in sundanese means no. A catchy name for sure, but a bad name considering their target is rural people.

[bimoyono]

There are some similiar start up doing this businees..warung pintar is one if them owned by sirclo

[SunnyMaroju]

It's a Indonesia version of udaan

[SenorJapones]

What the hell is ULA, I can assure that almost nobody know that apps. Cmon man 😆

[muh.sabiansyahra]

It's a surprising and interesting
move from him, what an achievement by ula