In a heartfelt LinkedIn post, Devin de Vries, the CEO and founder of South African mobility startup WhereIsMyTransport, announced the company’s cessation of operations. The news marks the end of a remarkable journey aimed at enabling freedom of movement in emerging markets, and it comes after the startup was unable to secure the necessary funding to continue its operations.
A Long, Hard Journey
WhereIsMyTransport began as a humble venture, with Devin de Vries and a small team operating out of a garage, surrounded by friends who believed in their vision. From these modest beginnings, the company’s trajectory was nothing short of extraordinary. Eight years ago, they secured their first round of funding, and in the intervening years, they grew into a robust organization with a presence in 22 countries and a team of 200 employees, supported by thousands of gig-mappers. Their efforts culminated in providing transit data for over 50 cities across four continents, benefiting millions of consumers and tens of millions of transit users.
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The startup’s mission was clear: to empower people everywhere to get where they want to go. They specialized in mapping both formal and informal public transport networks, using this data and technology to enhance public transportation, making it more reliable, predictable, safe, inclusive, and accessible for the residents of densely populated megacities in Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Latin America.
A Grateful Farewell
In his LinkedIn post, Devin de Vries expressed his gratitude to the investors who had supported WhereIsMyTransport along the way. He recognized that without their backing, their groundbreaking work would not have been possible. He also extended his thanks to the dedicated team that passionately and committedly worked towards the mission of empowering people to reach their desired destinations.
The South African startup’s most recent high-profile investment came in the form of a US$7.5 million funding round, with notable participants including Google, Toyota Tsusho Corporation, and others. This investment aimed to further the company’s global expansion efforts and enhance its data collection capabilities to translate complex data into actionable information for commuters.
A Change of Course
Devin de Vries reflected on how WhereIsMyTransport had to pivot and evolve over the years to achieve its vision. He noted that they initially attempted to create solutions for individual groups within the transportation ecosystem but found that these efforts fell short of addressing the core problem they sought to solve: making transport information accessible to the right people at the right time and place. This realization led them to embark on a much grander endeavor — a platform that could unite the entire transport ecosystem.
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Despite the challenges they faced and the need to leave their humble garage headquarters, WhereIsMyTransport’s journey continued with the ambition to become the definitive source for information on the public transport networks of emerging markets. Their products served as tools for cities, operators, and passengers to coordinate, integrate, and access vital data, ultimately making public transport more reliable, predictable, safe, inclusive, and accessible.
A Final Note
With this shutdown, WhereIsMyTransport joins a growing list of African startups that have shut down in recent time -54gene, Dash, Sendy, among others. While their journey has come to an end, it leaves a legacy of dedication to improving public transportation for millions in emerging markets. It’s a testament to the persistence and vision of entrepreneurs like Devin de Vries, who are willing to start over and over again to make a meaningful impact on the ecosystem.
Charles Rapulu Udoh
Charles Rapulu Udoh is a Lagos-based lawyer, who has several years of experience working in Africa’s burgeoning tech startup industry. He has closed multi-million dollar deals bordering on venture capital, private equity, intellectual property (trademark, patent or design, etc.), mergers and acquisitions, in countries such as in the Delaware, New York, UK, Singapore, British Virgin Islands, South Africa, Nigeria etc. He’s also a corporate governance and cross-border data privacy and tax expert.
As an award-winning writer and researcher, he is passionate about telling the African startup story, and is one of the continent’s pioneers in this regard