Cape Town-based GoMetro, a mobile start-up company in the transport sector, is a global finalist in the VentureOut Challenge, an initiative of infoDev, a World Bank agency.
GoMetro was selected from among 113 international entries to compete against 12 other mobile applications from around the globe. It is the only finalist from South Africa and will compete with finalists from the rest of Africa, the Caribbean, Europe and Central Asia.
The judging is before an audience and a panel of mobile experts in Chisinau, Moldova on 1 November 2013. The VentureOut initiative was launched to help mobile app entrepreneurs to expand internationally.
This recognition for GoMetro adds to accolades such as an official Cape Town World Design Capital 2014 project, a DEMO Africa 2013 finalist, and listing as a CNN Top 10 African Startup.
Over the next few weeks, GoMetro will receive ongoing mentoring from entrepreneurs and investors from around the globe who have experience building companies and expanding them globally.
Beyond mentorship, infoDev, through its considerable network and influence with emerging regions, will assist GoMetro to make connections for globalisation. The conference in Moldova will also include hands-on training sessions to help GoMetro identify and develop its customer base and learn other critical aspects of business modelling.
GoMetro will be coached and mentored for the next three months by a panel of mobile app internationalisation experts, including Mark Thirman, director of partnerships and ventures at Vodafone; Georgiana Mirea, senior manager: mobile and digital at American Express; Scott Hartley, partner at Mohr Davidow Ventures and White House Innovation advisor; and Alex Bashian, investment manager of Invested Development.