Maramoja: Nairobi-based car-hailing app that connects you with a trusted driver
Bad Taxi Experiences In Kenya Led To Birth Of MaraMoja Transport. Originaly starting as an Uber for Africa, the company quickly took a different spin.
Jason Eisen, CEO of Maramoja, initially started his venture with the hopes of becoming the Uber for Africa. However, Uber’s entrance in the Africa prompted his company to rethink its model.
Maramoja quickly realized that interpersonal trust was at the center of most taxi transactions and began iterating on this concept – arriving at a socially powered taxi app that uses trust recommendations.
To get a ride using the app, you whip out your mobile phone, open up the Android app or web app on your phone, and hail a car. Within a few minutes, a trusted driver will be there to pick you up. You can pay with either cash or card.
The drivers are recommended to passengers through word of mouth (friends, friends of friends and your broader network). Soon, Maramoja is launching a feature that lets passengers report accidents, attacks or other emergencies.
The company has signed contracts with 24 countries throughout Africa to bring its trust-based taxi app franchise to those markets. Down the road, Maramoja sees itself expanding into additional markets.
Source: Tehccrunch
