Cape Town tech startup creates innovative food-related platform 

Based in the Mother City, KnowItWorld, a local tech startup, has created a platform that provides users with detailed information about food items.

KnowItWorld is an innovative local tech startup that has created a food info platform

According to reports, the tech startup has recently secured its second round of funding from an undisclosed investor but this brings the total value of the company to R20-million.

KnowItWorld

Founded in 2019 by entrepreneurial duo Abhijit Nath and Matthew Gearing, KnowItWorld is a platform that enables users to know all the details about food items they intend to purchase or have purchased by simply scanning the barcode or searching for the item on the platform. 

According to reports, since its launch, the platform has garnered a large following on Instagram with over 51 000 followers and 6 500 subscribers utilising the platform. 

The Covid-19 pandemic has spiked an increase in personal health and the app provides valuable information to users on what they are consuming. 

Gearing provides insight into what led to the creation of the platform.

“In an age where information is so readily available, there is still a lack of transparency around what is in the food we eat. Through our research, we found that people lacked a clear and concise pathway to the information they needed. Thus, we created a product that presents food data in a simple, personalised and informative way.”

How does it work?

Through the platform, users can view products based on their own personal nutritional needs and also discover valuable information about what foods may impact their health. Products from retails such as Woolworths and restaurants such as Kauai are available on the platform. Users are able to compare prices, nutritional information, calories and more. 

Abhijit provides insight into what else the platform is capable of providing for its users. 

“The technology behind Knowit was developed over two years. The software works by capturing basic or raw attributes via our data generation process and organize these individual data points to form Master Attributes. This process allows us to apply our final and most important stage, data customization.” 

The tech startup has partnered with local shopping retailer Quench, allowing consumers on the Quench platform to find out more about the products offered and their food composition. 

“We want Knowit to form part of all South Africans daily rituals. We envisioned ourselves to be a single app that allows users to browse and shop at any store from the comfort of their home. We want all food brands to commit to food transparency as all South Africans have the right to know what is in their food products.”, concludes the founders. 

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Featured image: Maddi Bazzocco via Unsplash