We Invest in WhereIsMyTransport, a UK Startup Deploying a Public Transportation Data Platform Business for Emerging Countries
-Aiming to contribute to the realization of sustainable urban transportation via MaaS business and solving social issues-

  • (former)Chemicals & Electronics

2020-03-09

Toyota Tsusho Corporation (Toyota Tsusho) invested in the series A round of financing and entered a business alliance agreement with WhereIsMyTransport Ltd. (WIMT), a UK start-up company that deploys a public transportation data platform business in 39 cities in emerging countries. The company has a site in Cape Town, South Africa. The goal is to promote business development of mobility services and in the MaaS domain business in emerging markets.

1. Background

Public transportation systems in emerging countries in the region of Africa are not developed. Many people carry out their life, relying on auxiliary public transportation, which includes a minibus operated by a sole proprietor, also known as paratransit. However, it is difficult even for administrative agencies to grasp the actual conditions of this type of informal transportation. An issue is a decline in transportation efficiency and safety in cities overall.

WIMT made it possible to provide a public transportation data platform that complies to the unique transportation environment in emerging countries by using its proprietary approach to using digital technology to gather and visualize transportation data (routes, fares, etc.) related to all public transportation, including paratransit.

The data platform used by WIMT gathers information related to transportation routes, which corresponds to roughly 186,000km per day, and supports the mobility of about 10 million users. WIMT is promoting the improvement of transportation accessibility, the development of safe and efficient transportation services and the solving of social issues by building a MaaS infrastructure (integrated transportation data/functions) that specializes in emerging countries.

2. Purpose of capital and business alliance

The automotive industry is undergoing a major transformation owing to technological reforms, as exemplified by CASE. There is growing demand worldwide for new mobility services. In emerging countries, the provision of new mobility services is important to solve social issues, including fragile urban and transportation infrastructures.

Toyoda Tsusho plans to support the development of the public transportation data platform business provided by WIMT, which Toyota Tsusho invested in this time around, use the knowhow and global networks it possesses to further accelerate development for emerging countries. In addition, through the implementation of this business, Toyota Tsusho aims to contribute to solving social issues and realizing a sustainable urban transportation system via the MaaS business in emerging countries.

Overview of WIMT

Company name

WhereIsMyTransport Ltd.
Location
London, UK (Development site: Cape Town, South Africa)
Founding
2015
Representative
CEO Devin de Vries
Business description
Public transportation data platform business for emerging countries
No. of employees
about 40 (as of February 2020)
URL
https://www.whereismytransport.com/

The information in this release is current as of the date of announcement.
Please note that information may change after the date of announcement. Thank you in advance for your understanding.