South African startup WhereIsMyTransport secures $14.5m Series A extension round

South African mobility startup WhereIsMyTransport has raised a US$14.5 million Series A extension round as it bids to continue its expansion across emerging markets. The funding round was co-led by Naspers, which provided US$3 million via its investment arm Naspers Foundry, and Cathay AfricInvest Innovation Fund, with Japan’s SBI Investment also participating.

WhereIsMyTransport was established in 2016 and has since built itself into a sustainable mobility startup in emerging markets, which connects and collects data and integrates this information on its open data platform and is currently based in South Africa and Mexico.

The startup reportedly raised a $7.5 million Series A round from investors including Google and Toyota Tsusho in March 2020, and has now raised a $14.5 million extension.

Devin de Vries the CEO of WhereIsMyTransport speaking on the funding said that the startup will use the investment to continue its expansion across emerging markets, with a launch in Peru planned for later this year. It has already mapped 34 African cities, and has over 100,000 users.

“WhereIsMyTransport started in South Africa, focused on becoming a central source of accurate and reliable public transport data for high-growth markets. We’re thrilled to welcome Naspers as an investor as our journey continues in megacities across the majority world,” said chief executive officer (CEO) Devin de Vries.

Fabian Whate, head of Naspers Foundry, said WhereIsMyTransport had a strong track record of developing the best-in-class technology in improving the daily commutes of people across the world.

“The mobility technology company is a great addition to the Naspers Foundry investment portfolio and we look forward to working with the WhereIsMyTransport team as they take their business to the next level,” he said.