Originating from Japan, pod-style hotels have recently gained popularity in India’s hospitality sector due to their efficiency, affordability, and space-saving accommodations—especially among budget travelers. One innovative Indian capsule hotel startup, NapTapGo, has raised $500K in pre-seed funding, with support from T9L Qube, one of India’s leading venture studios. The Indian budget hotel market is growing at a CAGR of 13-15%. NapTapGo is democratizing budget travel by providing hygienic, tech-driven stays at a fraction of the price. T9L believes that investing in such innovations can strengthen the rapidly growing hospitality industry in the country.
An Indian startup specializing in pod hotels, NapTapGo is targeting the $20 billion budget hotel market in India. With an ambition to make travel and luxurious stays accessible and affordable for everyone, they have introduced this unique concept of spacious pods in the country that prioritize cleanliness and quality, providing exceptional customer experience. These compact, capsule-like pod hotels are designed for short-stay travelers with all basic amenities. Recently veteran Industrialist Anand Mahindra praised NapTapGoand described the Japanese style pod hotel as “pretty cool”. He triggered a discussion about budget travel in India and took the internet by storm.
Fahad Moti Khan and Gaurav Gaggar, co-founders of T9L Qube, expressed their confidence in this innovative concept, stating that pod hotels represent a groundbreakingand unique development in the hospitality sector. These accommodations are ideal for guests looking to rest for a few hours, offering an affordable and luxurious option, even for solo travelers. The growing demand for accommodations near religious sites is significant, and we believe that these pods will be a game changer in meeting the needs of religious travelers by providing clean, hygienic, and comfortable stays at an affordable price.
T9L majorly focuses on incubating, accelerating, and essentially onboarding startups that have high growth potential, after strategizing and consulting with onboarded partners and/or advisors, conducting proper due diligence, and private negotiations. This approach provides early-stage startups access to essential networks and top talent in crucial areas like product development, narrative, branding, growth, policy, fundraising, and technology- resources that many startups need in their infancy. T9L Qube reduces the risk associated with the startup journey by supporting early ventures in the aforementioned vital areas. This approach has helped previous studios achieve a success rate of over 50% in an industry where the average is close to 10%.
Nitin Malhotra and Himanshu Shukla, co-founders of ,NapTapGo said, “Our vision is to be the most preferred option in the affordable hotel segment by offering flexible stays and a superior customer experience. Our accommodations are ideal for solo travelers, working professionals, and frequent flyers aged 25 to 60 who seek convenient, affordable, and high-quality stays near IT hubs and religious locations. Our partnership with India’s leading venture studio, T9L Qube, will provide incubation support and mentorship, driving innovation in the hospitality sector.”
Capturing the niche pod hotels segment in the Indian market, NapTapGo projects the inclusion of over 80 new pods in the next 5 years with a projected revenue of 100 crore. They are implementing growth and expansion plans by adopting a company-operated franchise model across major cities in India. The company is looking for franchisees with commercial spaces ranging from 3,000 to 5,000 square feet, ideally located in city centers with high foot traffic.
