Get, the local ride-hailing and delivery unit of the Indonesian unicorn Gojek, plans to consolidate and rebrand as Gojek Thailand, aiming to drive international technology adoption and usher in new features and products for Thai consumers.
Get Thailand said the Gojek app is supported by a new international technology platform, meaning Thai users can also gain access to Gojek services in Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam.
Last month, Gojek said it had raised an undisclosed amount in a new round of funding from US tech giants Facebook and PayPal and existing financial backers Google and Tencent.
The latest investment was part of an ongoing series F round and brings total funds raised to US$3 billion, Gojek said. The funding focuses on digital payment and financial services.
Pinya Nittayakasetwat, general manager of Gojek Thailand, said the change highlights Gojek’s focus on the Thai market and aims to take advantage of the regional company’s strengths.
He said the local leadership team at Get would continue to steer Gojek Thailand, with no impact on the ownership structure.
Get, which was launched in February 2019, offers motorbike ride-hailing, parcel and food delivery, as well as payment services. Locally the company has more than 50,000 drivers and serves some 30,000 merchants, more than 80% of which are micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.
Get saw 2.2 million downloads as of February 2020 and achieved 20 million bookings as of June. The company has tripled its staff to over 300 in less than a year.
“By rebranding to Gojek, the company will be able to drive a deeper impact and create new income-earning opportunities for partners, as it leverages world-class technology to fulfil the changing needs and priorities of Thai users and brings new features and products online more quickly and at scale,” Get said.
Andrew Lee, group head of international business at Gojek, said the move reflects Gojek’s deep commitment to international markets.
“We will introduce our brand to a broader base of users with a view towards creating a deeper impact across the region,” Mr Lee said.
Weeradej Panichwisai, senior research manager at the tech market research firm IDC Thailand, said Gojek wants to have a unified app for the region similar to its Singapore-based rival Grab, which uses only one app throughout Southeast Asia.
“Gojek should have done this at the beginning, as the Gojek brand is well recognised as a startup unicorn by young customers,” Mr Weeradej said.