The year’s best technological solution for public transportation is Portuguese – Ubirider, INESC TEC start-up, won an international award

It is a unique solution that integrates transportation management, payment processing and data analysis in the same system – and is now considered “the technological solution for public transportation of the year”. The UbiRider Platform, developed by Ubirider, received the “AutoTech Breakthrough Award” – a recognition that aims to acknowledge companies, products and services that stand out in the automotive and transportation technology industry. Dedication to innovation, strategic partnerships and commitment to sustainability and customer satisfaction are the reasons for said recognition.

The Platform serves transportation operators and passengers using the same system; it allows operators to have access to real-time data (helping them to improve the quality of their service), and passengers to travel more easily, by enabling the payment of fares via mobile phone or a bank card. Regarding payment processing, the UbiRider Platform – developed by Ubirider, INESC TEC’s start-up -, has even contributed to the democratisation of the adoption of contactless payments – which would be “limited to use in transportation services operating in larger cities, due to complexity and cost reasons”.

However, as explained by Paulo Ferreira dos Santos, CEO of Ubirider, the company’s innovative approach “has made the system accessible, scalable and easy to implement in different contexts, already operating in larger cities like Lisbon and Porto, and in smaller regions, like Évora, Faro, Beja and Terceira Island (Azores).”

“We are helping to set a new standard for open-circuit payment systems, and we believe that our solution received this award because we are making it possible for transportation operators, regardless of their dimension, to access a MaaS – mobility-as-a-service – quickly and cost-effectively,” said Paulo Ferreira dos Santos. According to the CEO, it allows the interoperability between operators and different means of transportation and mobility, helping them to increase the number of passengers, and ensuring that they have access to all the benefits of mobility as a service.

Hence, the award-winning technological solution – with more than 11.4 million transactions -, simplifies the experience of using public transportation, and supports companies in decision-making processes by providing real-time information. “This AutoTech Breakthrough Award highlights our commitment to innovation and the development of innovative digital products, which are the main drivers of our business. In addition, it motivates us to keep setting new standards for transportation and mobility as a service, contributing to more efficient, convenient and environmentally friendly services,” said Paulo Ferreira dos Santos.

According to AutoTech Breakthrough, “UbiRider has created a comprehensive digital solution that integrates transportation management and payment, meeting the needs of both operators and passengers. The dedication to innovation, as well as the strategic partnerships and commitment to sustainability and customer satisfaction make this company our choice for the ‘Public Transportation Technology Solution of the Year’.”

The Ubirider Platform received the award during the fifth edition of this initiative. These Awards aim to acknowledge companies, products and services that stand out in the automotive and transportation technology industry. This year, there were several solutions nominated, from more than 15 countries.

Earlier this year, the company benefited from almost €2M in a funding round co-led by the Portuguese investment funds Techtree Investments and Cedrus R&D III, with the participation of two business angels – José Santos (Portugal / U.S.A.) and Andrés Alcalá (Colombia). The funding raised by Ubirider favoured international growth and the improvement of the product development and marketing teams.