Kevin Nyango
GoMetro, a South African tech startup operating in the transportation industry has been selected to participate in the United Kingdom IM Accelerator programme. The Intelligent Mobility Accelerator programme is a support programme that will stretch for a period of six months. The programme is to support tech startup through the provision of various forms of support such as mentoring, office space and opportunity to network.
The Intelligent Mobility Accelerator programme is run by two tech giants in partnership. The partnership is between two United Kingdom-based companies such as Wayra UK and Transport System Catapult. The aim of the program is to attract and provide assistance to startups involved in the transportation sector. The selected startup will have support for high-growth potential and opportunities to thrive in the UK transport supply chain. The IM Accelerator programme is also centered on helping startups grow into a world-leading company with the relevant support provided.
The startups selected to participate in the IM Accelerator programme will also have full access to the partner’s network of investors, large corporate, customers, government agencies, and universities.
GoMetro is a tech startup based in South Africa, Cape Town. The company was selected together with other UK-based tech startups like Conigital, Zeelo, Cityswifter, Synaptic, Valerann, Driver-net and SAFR. The Intelligent Mobility (IM) Accelerator will provide GoMetro, a South African based startup with all the assistance it needs to succeed in the UK transport supply chain.
According to Gary Morgan the manager for GoMetro UU, “Obtaining a seat on the IM Accelerator program is a great achievement for the company and shows what we believe and stand for that we can bring more flexibility to the system. The programme will reduce the amount of time it would take to get the proposed Intelligent Mobility future everyone is expecting.
Justin Coetzee, the CEO and founder of GoMetro said the company chose the UK market as its first market overseas due to the similarities it shares with the South African market, which includes terrible congestions due to increased number of car usage and ownership, reduction in public transport ridership on yearly basis, and a growing population of mobile phone oriented and tech-savvy individuals ready for a paradigm shift.
He also said that GoMetro’s relationship with other key players like Transport Catapult, Network Rail and Thought and Wayra validates their product-market fit.
