Wingz (company)

Wingz Logo
Wingz
Industry Ridesharing
Founded 2011
Founder Jeremie Romand
Geoff Mathieux
Fred Gomez
Christof Baumbach
Headquarters San Francisco, United States
Website wingz.com

Wingz is a peer-to-peer marketplace that connects local drivers with travelers who schedule their private, fixed price rides to and from the airports. During the booking process, travelers define the number of passengers and luggage items to transport.

The company is based in San Francisco, California.[1]

History

Wingz (originally known as Tickengo) was founded by Geoff Mathieux, Jeremie Romand, Fred Gomez and Christof Baumbach in April 2011. Tickengo was a ride-sharing platform matching drivers and passengers going to the same destination.[2]

In November 2013, California regulators formally legalized ride-sharing services, classifying them as “Transportation Network Companies”. In 2014 Tickengo changed its focus to scheduled airport rides only and rebranded as Wingz. [3][4][5][6][7]

Product

Wingz publishes mobile applications for iPhone and Android devices, adapting existing ride-sharing software for pre-scheduled rides. The company has a pending utility patent for its scheduled rides technology.

The app will automatically suggest a pick up time according to riders’ travel details. Drivers can now easily track the passenger’s flight status in real time and adjust pick-up schedules accordingly. This new app also answers critical challenges in terms of user experience with a new streamlined and intuitive approach.

Funding

Willie Brown, former Mayor of San Francisco, serves as lawyer and advisor to Wingz, representing the company before the California Public Utilities Commission.

In March 2015, Wingz announced that it had raised $2.7M in equity funding from the following investors: Ocotea Holdings, Florence Ventures, Blue Angels Ventures, Big Bloom Investments, Binux Capital, Bright Success Capital Limited, Olive Tree, Jack Russo, David Chen, Vincent Ma, Larry Marcus and other angel investors. [8]

In January 2016 Wingz announced that it had raised $11M in equity funding from Expedia Inc., Altimeter Capital and Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce.com. [9]

Airports presence

Since obtaining its CPUC license in 2014, Wingz has served airports throughout the western U.S. The company is expanding nationwide.[10]

Payment

Passenger payment to drivers is processed entirely online or through the mobile app. The payment process is completely cashless.

Safety

To use the Wingz software, drivers must be at least 21 years old. Their car can be any mid-size, full-size 4-door vehicle, 7 passengers van or SUV in good condition. There is a zero-tolerance drug and alcohol policy. All Wingz drivers are hand-picked, trained, background and DMV record-checked. Wingz provides passengers with a $1M per incident liability insurance policy and all vehicles are inspected by professionals.

References

  1. ↑ Geoffrey Fowler, Wall Street Journal Staff Writer (28 October 2012). "Taxi Apps Face Bumpy Road". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2012-10-28.
  2. ↑ Saraswathi, Staff Writer (14 September 2012). "Tickengo - Click, Sit and Go". TheTechPanda. Retrieved 2012-09-14.
  3. ↑ Benny Evangelista, San Francisco Chronicle Staff Writer (4 December 2012). "State PUC to hold hearings on new cab app laws". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2012-12-04.
  4. ↑ Geoffrey Fowler, Wall Street Journal Staff Writer (28 October 2012). "Taxi Apps Face Bumpy Road". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2012-10-28.
  5. ↑ "Wingz Joins List Of Ridesharing Companies Permitted To Operate At SFO". CBS SF Bay Area. 13 November 2014.
  6. ↑ "SFO: Transportation network Wingz gets permit to operate at airport". Bay City News. 14 November 2014.
  7. ↑ Ryan Lawler, Staff Writer (8 October 2012). "While The California PUC Cracks Down On Ride-Sharing, Sidecar And Lyft Commit To Staying On The Road". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2012-10-08.
  8. ↑ Lora Kolodny, Wall Street Journal Staff (13 April 2015). "Wingz Raises $2M to Book Airport Rides for People Who Plan Ahead". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2015-04-13.
  9. ↑ Jean-Baptiste Su, Forbes Silicon Valley Contributor (25 January 2016). "Wingz Raises $11 Million To Disrupt Airport Rides, Plans Nationwide Expansion". Forbes. Retrieved 2016-01-25.
  10. ↑ Carolyne Said, SF Gate (18 March 2014). "Wingz gets PUC green light as official TNC provider". Wall Street Journal.
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