South-African based tech start-up WhereIsMyTransport has been awarded the 2015 Global Grand MobiPrize and joins calls for climate action. By Staff Writer
The Cape Town-based transport solutions startup is set to receive the global award at a summit in New Delhi in March 2016.
MobiPrize is awarded by Mobi Platform, an initiative of SMART (Sustainable Mobility & Accessibility Research & Transformation), a multi-disciplinary initiative at the University of Michigan in the United States.
It honours the business venture that has the greatest impact on revitalizing the environment and economy of communities and regions through sustainable transportation/New Mobility enterprise (including improving quality of life, and/or addressing social equity and human rights, and/or and / or improving safety).
WhereIsMyTransport was thrilled to be named the overall winner of the MobiPrize.
We are thrilled and humbled to have won the Grand #MobiPrize! Thank you @MobiPlatform for this opportunity! India, here we come!
— WhereIsMyTransport (@mytransport) November 4, 2015
In July, WhereIsMyTransport raised £600 000 (R12 million) from local and international investors. In September, the start-up also announced plans to open an office in London.
WhereIsMyTransport has also signed the 2015 Entrepreneur’s Call for Climate Action at the COP21 (the 2015 Paris Climate Conference).
As a 2015 African Climate Solver, WhereIsMyTransport was approached by the WWF to join the first round of signatures on the Call, which now features over 70 CEOs of cleantech or sustainable start-ups.
The call focuses on the community of international entrepreneurs who are already dedicated to using business and innovation to slow the effects of climate change and improve environmental and living conditions worldwide.
It also calls for governments to develop “science based targets and policy instruments that support innovative solution providers” and for corporations to “actively share the risk in exploring better ways of doing business in an efficient and fully renewable energy based future.” Signatories to the Call include CEOs and founders of companies from Africa, China, India, and various parts of Europe.
The transport solutions startup, which was established in Cape Town seven years ago, is dedicated to improving the commuter experience in emerging markets and determined to turn commuter data into a system that serves cities and users alike.
The firm also provides to the City of Tshwane a Findmyway, an app providing a point-to-point journey planner integrating public and alternate modes of transport. Findmyway is also available in six major cities in South Africa.
WhereIsMyTransport shareholders should be excited with the news of the global award.
Tom Boardman, ex-CEO of Nedbank and chairman of Athena Capital, as well as Kim Fennell, CEO of deCarta, an Uber tech company, are shareholders in WhereIsMyTransport. Other investors include South Africa’s Infotech, and global investors consists of a Dutch-based venture fund Horizen Ventures and Goodwell Investments.
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