A taxi-cab company with pedal-powered vehicles that are free for customers to use is No. 1 on VentureBurn‘s list of South African startups to watch in 2014.
VentureBurn focuses on emerging markets, and compiled this list of six South African startups to keep an eye on in 2014.
The list includes Mellowcabs, EDGE Campus, Gust Pay, SPOTTM, Tuluntulu and Weaver, an online dating service.
Taxi startups are popping up all over South Africa, all hoping to secure a piece
the country’s multi-billion rand industry. With international players like Uber entering the market it’s becoming tougher for local startups to compete. Finding a niche is important.
Enter Mellowcabs, based in Franschhoek, The Cape, wants to disrupt first- and last-mile transportation, according to VentureBurn.
Why is it worth watching?
Mellowcabs’ revenue model is unique, and its target market is niche. The rides are free, and Mellowcabs offsets running costs by using Internet advertising — banner ads — directly on the vehicles. The idea is to put tablets into the taxi cabs which can then cash in on geolocation advertising.
Because the pedal cabs focus on first and last mile transportation, Mellowcabs’ isn’t directly competing with the likes of Uber or regular cab companies. Add in a environmentally friendly attitude, and Mellowcabs is VentureBurn‘s most exciting cab startup to watch in 2014.
Mobile penetration has been a hot topic for a while when speaking about Africa, and African startups. With education a sector sorely in need of innovation, it was only a matter of time before someone combined the two.
EDGE Campus, a Stellenbosch-based education software startup, has introduced Qurio, a teaching assistant that aids with assessments.
Why is it worth watching?
Assessing students is time-consuming, and automating the process could help teachers focus their energy on preparing lessons, and spending more time with students. Qurio can be accessed on Mxit, as well as its native mobi-site, and is reportedly bandwidth-friendly, plus it’s free.
If you’re sick of hearing about mobile, just wait until the end of 2014 when you’ve heard “wearable tech” ad nauseam. It’s the next big trend, and South African startup Gust Pay is ready with its mobile payment app and near field communication (NFC) wristband technology.
Why is it worth watching?
Gust Pay’s NFC wristband makes mobile payment convenient and efficient. It was used at the 2013 Rocking the Daisies festival in Cape Town, alongside the Gust Pay Rocking the Daisies festival app which allowed festival-goers to create their own schedules and navigate a 2D map. It also provided GPS coordinates.
“We’re interested to see how this tech could be adapted to other large-scale events like conferences and sports’ games,” said VentureBurn‘s Ronan Steyn.
Crime is still a huge problem in South Africa. Cape Town-based mobile startup SPOTTM is looking to fix that with its crowdsourced crime-fighting app.
Why is it worth watching?
SPOTTM’s tech is in real time, allowing crime victims or witnesses to immediately report a felony to thousands of people in the area. It’s a platform that takes neighborhood watch to a new level, VentureBurn, and its simple three-button interface hopes to address user uptake. SPOTTM launches in 2014.
Video streaming in Africa is still in its infancy because broadband and data connections are expensive. Most people access the Internet on their mobile phones, and many do so via GSM/EDGE networks that operate at speeds below 50 kilobits per second.
Mobile service Tulu Tulu wants forge an unlikely alliance between low data speeds and video streaming.
Why is it worth watching?
According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Africa has around 63.5 mobile subscriptions per 100 people and growing.
Tulu Tulu’s ARTIST tech, which promises to deliver unbroken video at around 30 kbps, hopes to service that growing mobile consumer base on the continent.
Online dating has become a more ingrained part of 21st-century life, however that doesn’t change the fact that people might still have reservations about going on a date with an almost-total stranger. Weaver promotes itself as a social club and has a different approach.
Why is it worth watching?
Weaver takes the nerves and stigma out of online dating. Daters are accompanied by chaperones — two wingmen and two wingwomen accompany the “main datees” so that even if the date doesn’t go too well, there might be some friendships formed along the way.
It’s pay-per-date (with a drink included). Weaver has made the experience approachable and social. VentureBurn thinks it might take off in 2014.
