Taxi Surfer triumphs at Startup Weekend
Location-based application built during Auckland event
Tuesday, April 05 2011 || Starting out || BY Amanda Sachtleben
The application – for which there is now a prototype – was the judges’ pick of the seven finalist teams. The location-based service links smartphone users who need a ride with taxi companies and other willing drivers.
Clist watched about 28 other pitches before the organisers asked if there were any last minute contenders. “I went to the weekend with no expectations until right at the end when I remembered I had this idea and thought, ‘oh well, why not?’”
Seventeen others who attended the weekend were interested in helping Clist develop the idea and a team of ten was formed, including Orsome Software developer Peter Watling. The whole application was created during the Startup Weekend, says Clist, including separate applications for the driver and passenger, and a back end for the driver application.
“We were able to wow the judges just with the amount of effort we put in,” says Clist, adding the team managed to squeeze in a few hours' sleep.
The team’s prize included a six month placement at Auckland’s Biz Dojo for one member, a promotional video and time with several advisors.
Although there are applications overseas that link passengers with particular taxi companies, Clist reckons Taxi Surfer has the potential to take off globally.
“We wanted to disrupt the taxi industry and we feel like we’ve got something quite unique.”
Other finalist teams at the Startup Weekend were Hot Spot, Real Wearth, Side kick, Fashinspire, Mortgage Control and Novel Under the Bed.
See photos and tweets at the Startup Weekend website.
See 90 Seconds TV's video of the event:
