{{Short description|Kazakh businessman}} {{Family name hatnote|Grigoryevich|Tomsky|lang=Eastern Slavic}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Infobox person | name = Arsen Tomsky | native_name = Арсен Томский | native_name_lang = ru | image = INDRIVE 2024-3.jpg | caption = Tomsky in 2023 | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1973|11|20}} | birth_place = Yakutsk, Yakut ASSR, RSFSR, Soviet Union | citizenship = Kazakhstan | education = North-Eastern Federal University | title = Founder and CEO of InDrive }}
'''Arsen Grigoryevich Tomsky''' ({{langx|ru|Арсен Григорьевич Томский}}; born 20 November 1973) is an entrepreneur, public figure, and the founder and CEO of the international ride-hailing service inDrive.
== Early life == Arsen Tomsky was born on 20 November 1973 in Yakutsk, Republic of Sakha.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Mejía |first=Genaro |date=2023-02-20 |title=Venció la tartamudez, fundó un unicornio contra los cobros injustos y conquistó al mundo |url=https://es.wired.com/articulos/vencio-la-tartamudez-fundo-un-unicornio-contra-los-cobros-injustos-y-conquisto-al-mundo |access-date=2024-07-18 |magazine=WIRED |language=es-MX}}</ref>
In 1994, Tomsky began his entrepreneurial journey by developing software. He initially created a system for analyzing the financial condition of banks, followed by an automated accounting program commissioned by the local Ministry of Finance.<ref>{{Cite web |title=В изоляции: Как Арсен Томский сделал Craigslist, Yahoo и Lyft для Якутии |url=https://www.the-village.ru/business/stories/158087-on-zarabotal-milliony-na-merzlote-a-ty-kukuesh-v-red-espresso |access-date=2024-07-18 |website=The Village |language=ru}}</ref>
The following year, he graduated from the Faculty of Mathematics at North-Eastern Federal University.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Букеева |first=Ардак |title=Дело Арсена: как программист из Якутии вырастил единорога и перевёз его в Казахстан |url=https://forbes.kz/articles/nezavisimyy-voditel-2e72e8}}</ref>
In 1999, Tomsky founded the company SakhaInternet, which later became the Sinet Group, and launched the website Ykt.ru. After serving as CEO of the Sinet Group for 20 years, he stepped down, transferring the company's shares to the Ykt.ru team.<ref name=":0" />
== Career == In 2013, Tomsky founded inDriver (Independent Drivers). Initially launched as a passenger transportation service, the company later expanded to include freight transportation, intercity travel, courier services, and city-based services.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Luna |first=Nancy |title=Get ready to make a deal for your ride. InDrive is bringing its ride-hailing-haggling business to the US again. |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/indrive-haggling-rideshare-app-enters-us-again-take-uber-2023-7 |access-date=2024-07-18 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}}</ref>
Six years later, inDriver achieved unicorn status following a $150 million investment round.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2023-03-14 |title=Yakutia's taxi service born out of injustice: inDrive founder Arsen Tomsky's mission to fight back against cartel pricing |url=https://www.intellinews.com/yakutia-s-taxi-service-born-out-of-injustice-indrive-founder-arsen-tomsky-s-mission-to-fight-back-against-cartel-pricing-272867/ |access-date=2024-06-04 |website=www.intellinews.com |language=en}}</ref> That same year, Tomsky attended the Stanford Executive Program at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.<ref>{{Cite web |title=CEO Takes Ride-Hailing Company from Siberia to Silicon Valley, Gears up to Drive Global Expansion |url=https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/exec-ed/difference/participants/ceo-takes-ride-hailing-company-siberia-silicon-valley-gears-drive |access-date=2024-06-04 |website=Stanford Graduate School of Business |language=en}}</ref>
In 2022, following Russia's military invasion of Ukraine, Tomsky made the decision to completely relocate inDrive's employees from the country.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ragozin |first=Leonid |title=Nothing could slow inDriver's rise from Siberian startup to global Uber competitor. Then Russia invaded Ukraine |date=24 May 2022 |url=https://restofworld.org/2022/indriver-siberia-russia/}}</ref> The company was also rebranded as inDrive (Inner Drive).<ref>{{Cite web |last=MI |first=Team |date=2022-10-11 |title=From inDriver to inDrive: The International service announces rebranding I |url=https://www.mediainfoline.com/brand/from-indriver-to-indrive-the-international-service-announces-rebranding-inbox-mediainfoline |access-date=2024-06-04 |website=Media Infoline |language=en-US}}</ref>
In 2023, inDrive became the second most downloaded ride-hailing app and the fourth most downloaded travel app globally.<ref>{{Cite news |title=inDrive remains the world's second most downloaded ride-hailing app and ranks as fourth most downloaded travel app worldwide |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240119179454/en/inDrive-remains-the-world%E2%80%99s-second-most-downloaded-ride-hailing-app-and-ranks-as-fourth-most-downloaded-travel-app-worldwide |access-date=2024-06-04 |language=en}}</ref> Tomsky invested approximately $5 million of his own funds, accumulated during his time building the largest internet company in Yakutia, into the app's development.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Russian ride hailing apps power up |url=https://www.ft.com/content/52e4db96-d678-11e7-8c9a-d9c0a5c8d5c9 |access-date=2024-06-04 |newspaper=Financial Times|date=4 December 2017 |last1=Seddon |first1=Max }}</ref>
At the end of the same year, Arsen Tomsky announced that he would receive Kazakh citizenship at the invitation of the government of Kazakhstan.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Azimzhanova |first=Ayturgan |title=Founder of inDrive obtains Kazakhstani citizenship |date=4 December 2023 |url=https://kz.kursiv.media/en/2023-12-04/founder-of-indrive-obtains-kazakhstans-citizenship/}}</ref> In May 2024, Tomsky ranked 10th on Forbes magazine's list of "The 75 Richest Businessmen in Kazakhstan".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zhazetova |first=Zhanel |date=2024-05-06 |title=Forbes reveals its fresh list of the richest people in Kazakhstan |url=https://kz.kursiv.media/en/2024-05-07/forbes-reveals-its-fresh-list-of-the-richest-people-in-kazakhstan/ |access-date=2024-07-18 |website=Kursiv Media Kazakhstan |language=en}}</ref>
== Non-profit activities == Since 2012, the non-profit educational project Beginit has been operating under Tomsky's patronage, initially known as BeginIT, which taught the basics of programming to children from remote rural schools and orphanages. As of 2022, the project reached over 120 schools and orphanages in 13 countries. In 2023, the program evolved into Beginit, focusing on developing social leadership in youth from remote communities.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Indrive's BeginIT Project Trains Underserved Children on IT Skills|url=https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2022/10/19/indrives-beginit-project-trains-underserved-children-on-it-skills/ |access-date=2024-06-04 |newspaper=This Day}}</ref>
The Sinet Spark project fund began operating in 2020, with its budget supported by several sources, including Tomsky's personal contributions. In 2021, Sinet Spark provided financial assistance to combat forest fires in Yakutia.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-07-27 |title=In Siberia, volunteers wage war on wildfires with shovels and saws |url=https://www.euronews.com/2021/07/27/in-siberia-volunteers-wage-war-on-russia-s-wildfires-with-shovels-and-saws |access-date=2024-06-04 |website=euronews |language=en}}</ref> Subsequently, the organization launched a project to study the causes of these fires and reduce their occurrence, not only in Yakutia but around the world.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Команда Sinet Spark |url=https://100mcr.com/ |access-date=2024-07-18 |website=Лидеры креативных индустрий |language=ru-RU}}</ref>
Also in 2020, Tomsky launched the non-profit Star Team program, aimed at helping schoolchildren and students gain admission to the best universities in the world.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Жаркова |first=Дарья |date=2023-05-11 |title=Калифорния, Лос-Анджелес и Нью-Йорк: как казахстанские школьники поступают в лучшие вузы мира благодаря программе Star Team |url=https://the-steppe.com/razvitie/kaliforniya-los-andzieles-i-nyu-jork-kak-kazaistanskie-sikolniki-stanovyatsya-studentami-lucisiii-vuzov-mira-blagodarya-programme-star-team |access-date=2024-06-04 |website=The Steppe |language=ru}}</ref>
In November 2021, the entrepreneur announced the launch of the Supernovas non-profit football project. The project identifies individuals who wish to become coaches and helps them establish football schools for children in small towns within their local areas. All football lessons are free of charge, with the coaches' work funded by Supernovas. As of 2024, Supernovas operates in Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Colombia, Chile, and Kazakhstan.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=herraizsoto&co |last2=Summit |first2=World Football |date=2024-05-24 |title=Transforming lives through football |url=https://worldfootballsummit.com/supernovas-raising-dreams-football/ |access-date=2024-07-18 |website=World Football Summit |language=en-US}}</ref>
On Tomsky's initiative, the Alternativa Film Awards were launched in 2023 as a global non-profit initiative aimed at supporting emerging filmmakers from Asia.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alternativa Film Project. Press release-Kyrgyz Cinema |url=http://www.kyrgyzcinema.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4070:alternativa-film-project-press-release&catid=30:film-news&Itemid=4&lang=en |access-date=2024-06-04 |website=www.kyrgyzcinema.com}}</ref> The award focuses on socially significant films, with the jury evaluating works not only for their artistic qualities but also for their relevance to society.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vourlias |first=Christopher |date=2023-12-11 |title=Alternativa Film Project Looks to Bolster Impactful Cinema in Central Asia and Beyond, Supporting 'Fresh Voices' From Underserved Regions |url=https://variety.com/2023/film/global/alternativa-film-project-emerging-voices-central-asia-1235832612/ |access-date=2024-06-04 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref>
Another of Tomsky's initiatives is the creation of an innovative startup called FluentaAI, designed to help people with a stutter. This software converts their whispers into natural speech without stuttering during online calls. As a result, FluentaAI has been integrated with video conferencing apps such as Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Aquino |first=Steven |title=Entrepreneur Arsen Tomsky Talks Being A Stutterer, InDrive, FluentaAI In Interview |website=Forbes |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenaquino/2024/05/09/entrepreneur-arsen-tomsky-talks-being-a-stutterer-indrive-fluentaai-in-interview/}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
Category:Living people Category:Yakut people Category:1973 births Category:North-Eastern Federal University alumni Category:Russian computer scientists Category:Russian technology company founders Category:Russian chief executives Category:21st-century Russian businesspeople Category:Kazakhstani businesspeople {{DEFAULTSORT:Tomsky, Arsen}}