ALMATY, March 16 (Reuters) - Ride-hailing application inDrive saw net revenue grow by nearly a third last year, founder and CEO Arsen Tomsky said, as profitability per ride improved following several years of rapid expansion.

The privately held, U.S.-headquartered company is now looking to expand its delivery offerings in developing countries with fresh acquisitions, after buying online grocery delivery services in Pakistan and Kazakhstan in the last two years, Tomsky said in an interview on Friday.

"Gradually, through these purchases, we are entering this new sphere," he said.

InDrive sets itself apart from rivals such as Uber and Grab by allowing drivers and riders to negotiate fares, appealing to price-conscious consumers in emerging markets.

Revenue grew 31% to $601.6 million in 2025 compared to the prior year, Tomsky said.

"Our primary region is Latin America. Slightly more than half of our entire business is located there," he said.

"We are a better fit for people who want to keep everything under control. People for whom it is very important to save money, who value every cent. And for this reason, we started in developing countries."

InDrive has one of its largest employee hubs in Kazakhstan, and Tomsky - who was born in Russia but renounced citizenship in 2024 - has taken up Kazakh citizenship.

The company says its ride-hailing app has been downloaded more than 400 million times since its launch in 2013.