We were delighted to catch up with London TechWatch to explain more about the use of our sensor technology, our experience of building a startup in this sector, our latest funding round and our future plans.
Who were your investors and how much did you raise?
We raised £5M of Series A funding in a VC round led by investor Mobeus, with additional funding from existing investors Downing Ventures and London Co-Investment Fund.
Tell us about your product or service.
At Viva, we work with government, regional bodies, and local councils to help revolutionise the way our cities and transport systems are managed, operated, and used. Our AI sensors and ‘Smart Junctions’ signal control gather detailed and anonymous data 24/7 on transport modes, traffic flow and travel patterns, supporting strategic decisions to help optimize the transport network and improve urban infrastructure.
What inspired the start of Viva?
The company was really founded around a team, rather than an idea. Having worked together before on a solar-powered car, the founders knew we could push out the cutting edge of technology together. That project gave us the entrepreneurial itch, and while working in a variety of traditional graduate roles we were imagining a different future behind the scenes – one where the infrastructure and vehicles worked together in a future autonomous world. Once those ideas reached critical mass, we decided to take the plunge!
How is it different?
Viva’ USP is that we give the city the equivalent of a network of humans standing at key points across the network. Anything a human can understand – whether that’s behaviors, types of vehicle, interaction patterns, etc – we can understand too. No longer does the city have to extrapolate from one-day manual counts, or basic induction loop data – a detailed understanding of the city now at their fingertips.
We’re using this depth of information to build intelligent traffic lights with AI too, allowing cities to prioritise cyclists & optimize for air quality; creating the future that journalists of 10 years ago were predicting AI could bring.
Read the rest of the interview on the London TechWatch website.
