Created in 2011 by two tech savvy entrepreneurs, goCatch has grown to become a multi-award winning free smartphone application that connects passengers directly with taxi drivers allowing customers to book a cab with certainty every time.
Co-founded by Andrew Campbell and Ned Moorfield, the goCatch app has been supported by the NSW Department of Trade and Investment. goCatch has also formed partnerships and alliances with several prominent blue chip companies including Google, Microsoft, Nokia, PayPal and RIM.
Australians have embraced goCatch with tens of thousands of drivers and passengers nationwide downloading the convenient booking service. goCatch is now one of the fastest growing apps in the country and is the clear market leader in the taxi sector.
The goCatch story began in September 2010, when two guys - Ned Moorfield and Andrew Campbell - met at a Sydney startup event called Seed Accelerator. At the time, Ned was consulting to the mobile applications and software industry and Andrew was managing the Australian operation of sms marketing startup TXT2GET.
Andrew spoke to Ned about his concept of taxi passengers using a mobile app to see taxis approaching on a map. Ned had a similar idea which involved using GPS to help passengers booking taxis at the airport, It was at that point that Andrew and Ned shared a 'light bulb moment.'
After entering and winning a series of competitions, including the Peter Farrell Cup and the John Heine Entrepreneurial Challenge, Andrew and Ned had enough prize money to start developing the taxi app idea.
In January 2011 work commenced on the proof of concept which was then called 'Taxi Mate' with the catchy slogan 'no need to wait!'.
As development on Taxi Mate was just starting, an opportunity presented itself in the form of a government grant called Collaborative Solutions - Mobile Concierge (CSMC). Run by the New South Wales Government's department of Trade and Investment, the grant program offered grants of up to $250,000 for innovative mobile application based projects.
Ned and Andrew set up a consortium for their project which included Microsoft, Nokia, Blackberry, Google, the NSW Taxi Drivers Association and PayPal. Yet again, the boys were successful.
Just a few months later, goCatch presented at Tech 23, Australia's leading technology showcase event and won the top prize of $50,000. A video of the pitch can be seen here.
As goCatch was being built and rolled out across Sydney and Melbourne, angel investment was secured from a group of talented and successful technology entrepreneurs.
Soon afterward, goCatch began to go viral with taxi drivers in Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Darwin and even Zagreb Croatia appearing on the map. Everyday, more and more drivers and passengers are connecting with goCatch.
From left: Co-founders, Ned Moorfield and Andrew Campbell
