Local tech startup Corrugated Minds have developed an app that allows users to easily book and pay for public transportation from their phones at home without needing to queue at ranks and bus/combi stops. In this interview, I had a chat with the director of Corrugated Minds, Kamogelo, about the app and Corrugated Minds' vision to bring convenience to public transport in Botswana!
In your own words, please tell us who Kamogelo Majingo is
I’m a young woman from Gaborone Botswana. I am a popcorn enthusiast, Director at tech-startup Corrugated Minds & Brand Strategist boutique digital marketing agency, Enza Digital. I have a passion for all things digital and tech-related and I hope to advance further into the industry as I grow in my career. In my spare time, I love napping. If I’m not napping, I’m playing with my dog!
Briefly tell us more about the Share-A-Ride App from Corrugated Minds
Sharearide is an application that is aimed at transforming access and use of public transportation in Botswana by bringing ease and convenience to travellers and transportation service providers. On the Sharearide application, commuters are able to book and pay for public transportation online and public transportation operators are able to take bookings, onboard passengers and view customer data using the application.
What is your role in the project?
I initially started off as Marketing but over time I became a part of the company as I really saw & believed in the vision. At one point, all team and I did was live & breathe Sharearide. Things just fell into place I am now the director at Corrugated Minds. Now, I’m mainly focused on overseeing all team operations, business development and of course, marketing.
What was the motivation for building Share-A-Ride?
Corrugated Minds is aimed at providing digital solutions to Botswana’s everyday activities, one of them being in transportation. There are a lot of inefficiencies in the transportation industry, both for the users and the providers of transportation, so we wanted to digitise the industry. For example, with Sharearide, a commuter can book a seat instead of queueing for hours at transportation stops. For transport operators, Sharearide provides a cashless way of payment so transport operators can easily monitor their income, making everything so much more convenient.
What challenges have you faced scaling the Share-A-Ride App?
When taking the platform to market, we faced various challenges, including educating partners and passengers about the new platform, its features and its benefits.
How have you been trying to overcome those challenges?
We have been working closely with transport operators to better the platform and tailor it to suit their needs. One suggestion that we are implementing was requested by a few clients, being CCTV and geo-tracking capabilities within the application. I think it’s great that transportation operators are so open to sharing their ideas and are keen on seeing Sharearide grow.
The success of Share-A-Ride will in one way or another be dependent on easy access to internet for users. With data still very expensive in the country, what do you think can be done to reduce its price so that innovations like the Share-A-Ride App become easily accessible?
Internet accessibility is a major challenge that people face in this country. A majority of our target users don’t have consistent access to the internet, so we have been developing offline capabilities that will allow people to use some application features both online and offline.
We would like to encourage internet service providers and telecom networks to work with startups with innovations such as ours to provide more affordable ways of using these applications on an everyday basis. Zero-rating is a great solution that is already available on some applications - being able to use the application without any data bundles/wifi.
What are your goals for Share-A-Ride in the next 3-5 years?
We’d definitely like to see Sharearide become a household name. An everyday application for people all around the country. Above that though, is definitely employment creation. Employment creation in Botswana is a key objective for Corrugated Minds. The goal is to have a big, young & vibrant team! I’d personally like to have a lot of women on board!
Are there interesting features launching for the Share-A-Ride in the near future that you would like to share with our readers?
We are looking to expand into all modes of public transportation. Our main focus right now is buses, but we look to have combis & taxis service provision in the future!
What advice would you like to give to public transport operators who are yet to list on Share-A-Ride?
Sharearide is your partner. Let’s build a community and better the transportation industry!
Lastly, please share your contacts with our readers in case they have more questions about Share-A-Ride
You can find us on Social Media @SharearideBW on Facebook, Twitter & LinkedIn. Or you can email me at kamogelo.majingo@sharearide.co.bw or Sylvester.ramontsho@sharearide.co.bw