Rocket Internet-Backed Tripda Hitches $11M Ride

Tripda, a ridesharing platform with a focus on long-distance travel, has raised $11 million.

The majority of the funding comes from Rocket Internet, which is making a heretofore uncharacteristic foray into the U.S. startup market, as opposed to overseas.

Described by VentureBeat as essentially platformizing hitchhiking, the Tripda app is something of a cross between Airbnb and Lyft. Positioning itself as an alternative to mass transit, Tripda matches passengers with drivers for long-distance rides. Once paired with a driver, passengers can exchange messages about travel preferences – in a similar fashion to the way guests can coordinate with hosts on Airbnb.

Tripda launched in the U.S. last November and quickly expanded to multiple cities. It already has a presence in New York City, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.

Cab hailing service Uber and ridesharing app Lyft already control a large portion of the on-demand car service market in the U.S., and the two companies are increasingly trying to edge each other out. Both offer carpooling programs that connect riders so they can share the cost of a ride, and accusations of sabotage have arisen between the two.

The Uber/Lyft competition has already knocked off a number of smaller players, including Hailo and Zimride (another ridesharing service). That means that Tripda, even with its focus on longer-distance travel, faces a difficult road ahead.

But – thanks to the recent influx of funding – it’s got a ticket to ride. At least for now.