Mobi.lity, a prize winner in the mobile theme of the 2011 Gauteng Innovation Competition, successfully launched its mobile information service, GoMetro, to over 1 million Metrorail Gauteng commuters in Park Station yesterday afternoon.
The first phase of the service provides commuters with updated train departure and arrival times, fare information and route announcements. The final phase will provide real-time schedule updates and platform changes integrated with Metrorail's train routing software. The service is available for free from www.gometro.co.za and will work on any mobile phone with Internet access.
The Gauteng Innovation Competition, now in its second iteration, is implemented by The Innovation Hub, a subsidiary of the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency (GGDA), which is an agency of the Gauteng Department of Economic Development (GDED). By encouraging innovation in areas critical to local and provincial government, the competition provides an important link between the service delivery needs of the Gauteng region and the creativity and entrepreneurial drive of local enterprises.
McLean Sibanda, The Innovation Hub CEO, said: "This is a great achievement for Mobi.lity and the Gauteng Innovation Competition. We are very proud of their achievements and their success serves as an indication that the competition is an effective channel for bringing new innovations into the public sector, while also stimulating small business development."
"We are most grateful and acknowledge the role that the Gauteng Innovation Competition has played in our business, particularly in the commercialisation of the GoMetro service. The seed funding from the competition and support provided by The Innovation Hub were instrumental in bringing the product to market. Initiatives like the competition are critical for the growth of innovative small enterprises in the country," said Justin Coetzee, founder of Mobi.lity
The competition focuses on two themes, one in mobile applications and the other in green technologies, with a total prize money of R1 million. The 2012 competition is looking for mobile innovations that can address challenges related to citizen participation, transport and traffic management, and community safety; while the green technology theme seeks solutions in waste to energy, energy efficiency, solar, and water management. The top three candidates in each theme will be announced at a prestigious awards ceremony taking place in January 2013.
Winners of the mobile theme will receive incubation support from mLab, the Southern African Mobile Applications Laboratory. Over the past year, the mLab has become a vibrant community of entrepreneurs centred on world-class facilities and business development services at The Innovation Hub premises. "It is exciting to see mLab incubatees launching services like GoMetro," said Derrick Kotze, CEO of the mLab: "We are looking forward to assisting the new competition winners with commercialisation of their innovations as well."
The second Gauteng Innovation Competition closes on 14 November 2012, so entrants have just two weeks to submit their ideas via gic.theinnovationhub.com.
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