Founded by Vusumuzi Mkhwananzi, Josaih Mahachi, Millcent Mkhwananzi, Gift Chirinda and Mandla Ncube, myRunner is a technology-driven company, their market is a two-sided market. They work with bus companies to reduce operational costs and improve the efficiency of bus management using their all-in-one solution. Their solution allows the ticketing from a telephone, bus monitoring and fleet management. “The passengers we help save money, book a bus easier and safer and follow their bus in real time. Our vision is to make the bus trip easier and safer.”
Introduce yourself and your journey
I am Vusumuzi Mkhwananzi the CEO and a co-founder of myRunner which is a tech driven business focusing on the bus travel industry. I grew up selling sweets and freezits in bus station later on I would grow to build a business called Global Simcards that works in bus stations registered in South Africa and Zimbabwe. Everyday I saw challenges faced by passengers and bus operators ,passngers harrassed by touts , waiting long hours for buses and bus companies lossing a lot of revenue due to ineffective ticketing and bus managemet systems that where largely manual. From 2015 I decided to set a team to solve these challenges that was how myRunner was begun to be concieved we then went live on playstore on the 25th september 2017
I think of myself as a strategic hard worker, objective oriented and God fearing. The things I love most in life are my relationship with God, family and doing business.When not working in my business I like to read and help other people.
What is your project and its mission?
myRunner is a tech driven business our market is a two sided market. we work with bus companies to reduce operational costs and improve the management efficiencies of their buses using our all in one solution. Our solution allows bus ticketing from a phone,bus tracking and fleet management making it the first all in one system in SADC. For passengers we help them save money,book bus easier and safer and track their bus in real time. Our vision is to make travelling by bus easier and safer.
How did you get the idea to start your business?
Every day I have seen passngers harrassed, I have endured my self many hardships trying to get a bus .In January 15 2015 while I was at work at roadport one Zimbabwe and SADC largest bus station I am watching touts pulling an lod woman just outside the bus rank, as am watching my phone beeps and its a face book post from Strive Masiyiwa , he refers to the same problem am watching as it is happening. He ends the post by asking why doesnt an african entreprenuer use technology to solve this problem. He emphasised that probably someone is reading this and will solve this problem. It was like he was speaking to me . I know that this problem had to be solved . In africa we don’t have many airports we use buses, traders, students, families,women,children across the region use buses and myRunner wants to change this bus experience and make it easier and safer.
Can you introduce your team?
Josaih Mahachi Co -founder/Technical Director a passionate tech-enthusiast with a keen eye for detail. He is the first to graduate from the Midlands State University to have completed two honors degrees simultaneously in four years. Soon after graduating, he joined a telecommunications company and rose through the ranks to become the youngest CEO in the industry. , he is an energetic software developer specializing with C#, ASP.Net, PHP, Javascript, HTML among others. He is also a dedicated husband.
Millcent Mkhwananzi Co-founder /Finance Director Global Entrepreneurship Training Southern Africa business plan Group competition winners 2017, Nehemiah Network loan and mentorship program winner 2017.5 years working experience in the Accounting and Admin sector in the Tourism Industry. Currently studying towards being a member of the Association of Chartered Certified ccountants (ACCA)
Mandla Ncube Co-founder /Chief of Operations metallurgist by profession, an avid sales and marketing engineer who delivers bespoke solutions to the mining, process and renewable energy industries. He is a dynamic, versatile and meticulous professional with 9 years’ industrial work experience of which 6 have been in mining and 3 in sales and marketing in the above mentioned industries. He holds a BSc (Hons) in Metallurgy engineering, an MBA majoring in strategic marketing and certificates in health, safety, environment and quality leadership and Solar (PV) design and installation.
Gift Chirinda Co founder / Director Quality Assurance & Client relations holds a Bsc honors in E.Health.She has vast experience in Research Elisabeth Glaser Peadiatric Foundation and as a Data Analyst with International Humanitarian Organisation such as (Doctors Without Borders).She has successfully set up and managed quite a number of startups these include Gee’s beauty parlour and Gee’s cafe & fast food outlet. She is currently studying towards a Masters in Project Management .She enjoys reading travelling and spending time with her wonderful family.
What is the problem solved by myRunner?
Passengers harrassed by touts,some cases resulting in death
Cash crisis,
long waiting hours.
Lost bus revenue,
Costly ticketing system,ineffective booking & reporting system
What are the next steps ?
We want to scale the business into the SADC region,We already have our presence through cross border buses in Botswana,South Africa,Zambia,Malawi and Zimbabwe. We have registered and incorporated the business successfully in South Africa to establish our regional HQ. We want to develop our product further to enhave the bus travel experience.
What do you need and how can Seedstars / AfrikaTech help you?
We need expertise and mentors that can help us to scale into the region. Currently we can easily increase our bus operators from 45 to 300 bus operators the biggest challenge has been having adequate mobile printers needed for ticketing by bus companies.
What are the contacts of the startup?
Website: http://www.myrunnerbuses.com
Email: info@myrunnerbuses.com
Mobile App: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=myrunner.app
Mobile / WhatsApp, +263772906129
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myRunnerBuses/?hc_location=ufi
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