This archive report was first published on 14 October 2019.
Founded in 2015 by siblings Samira and Ahmed Negm, Raye7 is a carpooling service that seeks to bring sanity to Cairo's roads by connecting city residents with similar interests or workplaces.
While the concept of carpooling is not new, most ventures have failed. However, Raye7 sees an opportunity by focusing on a near-enterprise model that connects coworkers, schoolmates, and others with similar social networks.
According to Samira Negm, a computer engineer and project manager, the idea for Raye7 was inspired by her experience working in Cairo. She realized that employees faced significant challenges in reaching their workplaces and other destinations, particularly women who were vulnerable to harassment.
Raye7 is a culturally sensitive ride-sharing application that connects people within the same social communities. When a new user signs up, the platform verifies their identity, phone number, work email, and LinkedIn or Facebook profile. Riders and drivers are only matched when they are within the same social networks and communities.
Launched in 2015, Raye7 has reached 15,000 registered users, with 20% being women. The company partners with like-minded companies, such as Dsquare, which runs Vodafone's local loyalty program, Sherkety.
Despite competition from other carpooling services in Cairo, Raye7 has managed to remain at the top. The company uses Orange Egypt's SMS API to send customized messages and notifications to rider sharers when a match is found.
