Carpool Arabia

Carpool Arabia operated as a peer-to-peer transportation network in the Middle East, with a specific focus on Dubai. The company was founded by French entrepreneurs Benjamin de Terssac and Guillaume Arnaud, launching its website officially on February 18, 2014. The inspiration for the venture came from de Terssac's personal experience with the lengthy daily commute between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, drawing on the popularity of carpooling in his native France as a viable solution for the UAE's traffic congestion. Before this entrepreneurial venture, de Terssac had a five-year career as a management consultant.

The firm's business model was centered on a B2C platform that connected private car owners with passengers travelling along similar routes, particularly for daily work commutes. This service provided a cost-sharing mechanism, positioning itself as a more economical alternative to traditional taxis. For instance, a shared ride was calculated to be significantly cheaper than a cab fare for the same distance. The platform facilitated these connections through its website and later a mobile application, which incorporated features like fare calculation, user ratings, and a buddy list system to build trust and community among users.

The company's initial operations were bootstrapped with a $70,000 investment from the founders. In September 2015, Carpool Arabia secured a significant seed funding round of $350,000. This investment was led by the French venture capital firm Kima Ventures and the Dubai-based media company Mediaquest, with participation from VentureSouq. The capital was earmarked for the launch of its mobile app and to fund a marketing campaign to expand its user base across Dubai. By late 2015, the platform had shown promising growth, with user numbers increasing by 21% month-on-month since its inception. However, the company's website is no longer active, and there is no public information regarding its acquisition or cessation of operations.

Keywords: Carpool Arabia, Benjamin de Terssac, Guillaume Arnaud, ridesharing Dubai, carpooling UAE, Kima Ventures, Mediaquest, peer-to-peer transportation, office commute, sharing economy, Dubai startups, transport technology, mobile ride-sharing, cost-sharing travel, urban mobility, commuter solutions, traffic congestion solution, VentureSouq, MENA logistics, last-mile transport