"Smartphones have been disrupting taxi and private car services throughout the developed world," says co-founder Magnus Olsson.
"The lack of street addresses and less-educated drivers makes the Middle East challenging. We are pleased to announce that we have finally managed to overcome those challenges and are ready to offer a world-class experience to clients across UAE."
Careem was started in June-2012 by Magnus Olsson and Mudassir Sheikha, both former consultants at McKinsey & Company, and previously technology entrepreneurs in Sweden and Silicon Valley respectively. They were frustrated by the lack of reliable and convenient ground transportation options in their travels across the Middle East, and resolved to solve them for all region-trotters and residents alike.
"The state of technology adoption in the private car industry is appalling," says co-founder Mudassir Sheikha. "Our goal is to use technology as an enabler to make these services more accessible, reliable, and consistently higher quality. In the process, we hope to increase industry utilizations and make this a win-win for everyone."
The current launch for Careem comes after six months of piloting its technology with large corporates and several hundred individuals across Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
95% of the users that tried the service rated it 5 out of 5! Harper's Bazaar Interiors, which tried Careem during the pilot, called it a 'little diamond in the sand.'
This launch includes:
-New website to make and manage bookings online
-iPhone app that is optimized for ordering private cars on the move (Android version is coming soon)
-Support to request cars NOW and at a future time
Depending upon the ride, Careem might not be a whole lot more expensive than a taxi.
Posted by Nadeen El Ajou
