PickMe partners with University of Moratuwa to foster product innovation

Taxi hailing software provider PickMe, this week announced a partnership with the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) and the newly- established Center for Data Science ( DataSEARCH) at the University of Moratuwa,

This emerged from a mutual interest in strengthening and extending the capacity of research and development needed to foster a culture of technological innovation and entrepreneurship, the company said in a media release.

The Memorandum of Understanding ( MoU) between PickMe and the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Moratuwa was signed between PickMe CEO, Jiffry Zulfer and Head of Department of Computer Science and Engineering and Director of DataSEARCH, Dr. Amal Shehan Perera at the University of Moratuwa, in the presence of senior officials from both institutions.

PickMe will now be able to benefit from the expertise of the Moratuwa University in conducting R&D and work closely with supervisors and students alike. The students of the CSE will in turn benefit from this partnership as they can collaborate with PickMe’s team of innovators directly and experience how their research is used to build effective solutions for the public via PickMe.

The release quoted Head of Department of Computer Science and Engineering and Director of DataSEARCH, Dr. Amal Shehan Perera, as saying that, “This collaboration will enable lecturers and students at the University of Moratuwa to engage in cutting edge research into the science and engineering of Big Data Analytics. It will also allow us to experiment on innovative data- driven, decision- making initiatives for short term applications as well as long-term policy making with national relevance using the PickMe data exhaust with proper privacy preserving techniques. For example, we will be able to look at data- driven dynamic traffic congestion control as well as give data-driven suggestions for long term transportation policy making to solve some of the national issues.”

Mr. Zulfer said, “As a locally built product, PickMe has always had the pleasure of accommodating young talent produced by the UoM. And as a local solution provider, this partnership was only due. I believe this collaboration will be a catalyst to our journey in empowering Sri Lanka's next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs.”

With a taxi fleet of over 10,000 three wheelers, mini cars, cars and vans, PickMe is the largest organised taxi platform in Sri Lanka and currently service the transportation needs of over one million passengers based in the Colombo, Ne gombo, Kalutara and Kandy regions.