Rocket Internet moving EasyTaxi to the Middle East

Right now, there is no investment group or incubator more aggressive in terms of growth and expansion than Rocket Internet. The company has announced that it will be taking Brazilian taxi app, Easy Taxi, into the middle with a US$7-million investment from iMENA, a mobile application business in the Middle East.

Easy Taxi was launched by Rocket Internet in 2011 and was recently launch in Lagos, Nigeria in the company’s move to Africa. The app allows passengers to order cabs from using their mobile (Uber style). The app says it connects drivers and passengers in a smooth, easy and safe way.

This is not the first partnership between Rocket Internet and iMENA, the duo brought food ordering service, Hellofood to the Middle East earlier this year.

“The app, available for iOS, Android and new Blackberry devices, confirms the customer’s pickup point and orders the closest cab in his vicinity, with the press of a button. In seconds, a confirmation of the driver’s name, photo, and car model and plate number are sent to the phone,” says the service.

Currently, Easy Taxi is available in 15 markets including Latin America, Africa and Asia. Globally, Easy Taxi app has more than 2-million downloads and over 60 000 taxi drivers in the network. Earlier this year, Easy Taxi received fresh capital from Rocket Internet, the Latin America Internet Holding (LIH) and the African Internet Holding (AIH).

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Rocket Internet once again for the launch of Easy Taxi in the Middle East. The company’s scale and achievements after only two years of operations are highly impressive. Given the management’s track record, the trend of mobile apps, and the market’s macro outlook, we are very confident in the regional success of Easy Taxi,” says Khaldoon Tabaza, iMENA’s co-founder and Managing Director.