Modo the Car Co-op
Congratulations to Modo the Car Co-op, #15 in 2011's Most Innovative Companies in B.C.
Giving away your core product to competitors isn’t a typical business strategy, but when you’re out to change the world, your number one priority has got to be expanding the market.
At the core of Modo the Car Co-op’s operations is proprietary software that manages booking and billings for its fleet of 240 vehicles. And the 7,000-member co-op formerly known as the Co-operative Auto Network gives that software to anyone who wants to start their own car-sharing network, as long as it’s not in a geographic location already covered by Modo’s own operations.
“We give it away for free. How crazy is that?” says Tanya Paz, director of client relations and development. “But being a co-op and being the first English-speaking one, your destiny is to help car sharing start up all over the world.”
Further innovations on the horizon include tweaking the software to remotely monitor the charge of electric vehicles in the field, and to remotely turn off headlights and accessories.
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