Ola Group Tops Innovation Chart, Owns Majority of Unicorn Patents

Ola Group, which operates across ride-hailing, electric vehicles, and AI, has emerged as a major force in India's innovation ecosystem by holding over 50% of all patents filed by the country’s 117 unicorns. Data from the Indian Patent Advanced Search (IPAS) System shows that Indian unicorns collectively own just 229 patents, with Ola Group accounting for more than half of them.

Bhavish Aggarwal Shares Ambitious Goals

Ola Founder Bhavish Aggarwal highlighted the company's patent leadership in a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), stating, "Happy that Ola group @OlaElectric @Olacabs and @Krutrim have half of all granted patents for all Indian unicorns put together. Not happy with our number of 650 applied patents though. We will accelerate much much more in coming years!"

Patent Portfolio Breakdown

Insiders at Ola confirmed that the group has filed over 650 patent applications, of which 180 have already been granted. The group’s innovation efforts span its subsidiaries, including Ola Electric, Ola Consumer, and Krutrim. Ola Electric alone contributes 70-80% of the total filings, establishing itself as a leader in electric mobility innovation.

Industry-Wide Innovation Gaps Revealed

While Ola leads the innovation race, the broader picture is less promising. Out of 117 Indian unicorns, 101 have not filed a single patent. This trend underlines the sector’s greater focus on valuation and market growth over technological innovation.

Ola Electric: India’s Top EV Patent Filer

Ola Electric has particularly distinguished itself in the EV domain, filing 205 patents in FY23 alone. These cover a wide range of technologies, including battery systems, vehicle software, artificial intelligence, and safety features. This makes Ola Electric the top patent filer in India’s EV sector.

R&D Investment Sees Major Increase

To back its innovation pipeline, Ola Electric invested Rs 507 crore in research and development during FY23, which accounted for 19.3% of its annual revenue. This is a significant jump from the Rs 175 crore spent the previous year. Looking ahead, the company plans to allocate Rs 1,600 crore for R&D between FY25 and FY27.

IPO Prospectus Highlights Tech Commitment

Ola’s commitment to innovation was reinforced in its IPO filing, where the company stated, "R&D and technology form the backbone of our business model." This emphasis on tech underscores Ola's strategy to position itself as a long-term player in the global EV and AI sectors.

Expanding Global IP Footprint

Ola Group’s patent filings are not confined to India. The company is expanding its global intellectual property footprint with patents already granted or pending in major international markets such as the US, UK, Japan, China, and Australia. This global reach further strengthens Ola’s image as a technology-driven company with worldwide ambitions.

Conclusion: A Benchmark for Innovation in Indian Startups

In an ecosystem where many unicorns prioritize market dominance over innovation, Ola Group stands out with its strong focus on deep-tech development and intellectual property creation. With continued investment in R&D and a growing international patent portfolio, Ola is setting new standards for what Indian startups can achieve in the global technology space.