SA mobility startup WhereIsMyTransport is shutting down after failing to raise new funding.
South African mobility startup WhereIsMyTransport is shutting down, citing an inability to raise new funding. Founded in 2016 Devin De Fries, the startup raised over $27 million in funding and had 140 employees. “Having failed to raise our round, we’ve stopped operations. Thank you to the investors who backed us along the way – without you, our work would not have been possible. Thank you to the team who gave the best of themselves to support our mission,” wrote De Fries.
WhereIsMyTransport mapped formal and informal public transport networks and used the data to improve the public transport experience, claiming to make commuting safe and accessible. The startup licenced some of its data to governments.
In May 2022, the startup announced that it had mapped 50 cities across Africa, Latin America, Southeast Europe, and Asia. Some of its clients included the World Bank, which used its data to examine access to job opportunities via public transport in 12 African cities.
The startup was also an alumnus of the now-defunct Naspers Foundry, having raised $3 million from the fund towards its $14.5 million Series A extension. Its other investors included Cathay AfricInvest Innovation Fund, Japan’s SBI Investment, Wuri Ventures, Capria Ventures, Nedbank, Global Innovation Fund, Goodwell Investments, Google and Toyota Tsusho.
