Press Release
May 12, 2021 – DERQ, a Detroit- and Dubai-based start-up, has finalized a $500,000 investment from Wadi Makkah Ventures as part of a pre-Series A round that included several other leading global tech investors. In December 2020, the investment brings the total funds raised by the company to nearly $6 million to date.Derq is an MIT spinoff and the leading AI company for video analytics powering the future of roads for the safe and efficient movement of road users and autonomous vehicles.
Derq has built an award-winning platform powered by patented AI technologies and predictive analytics helping eliminate crashes, save lives, and create safer and smarter roadways. Derq has live distribution in the USA, Europe, and the UAE, with forward-thinking cities and states, including Michigan, Ohio, Nevada, and Dubai. They have also partnered with global mobility leaders including Qualcomm, Kapsch, Motional and DENSO, and have best-in-class IP with a strong patent portfolio.
Wadi Makkah Ventures invests in local and international start-ups that provide services and technologies to improve and develop the quality of the services in the Hajj and Umrah sector. Wadi Makkah Ventures is thrilled to be a partner with Derq, a leading AI company, to help address key challenges and opportunities that will positively impact both the safety and mobility of vehicles and pedestrians across the Kingdom.
This partnership allows Derq to tap into a strong network of regional investors that have extensive experience backing AI technology companies. Wadi Makkah is an ideal go-to-market partner for Derq in the Saudi market through both the Wadi Makkah Knowledge and Wadi Makkah Real Estate Company branches of the company.
Dr. Georges Aoude, CEO of Derq says “Led by the Vision 2030, the Saudi market is gearing up for an unprecedented growth centered around transforming its regions into some of the top-most livable cities in the world, we are excited to be contributing through our cutting-edge AI solutions to improve road safety and mobility in the region of Makkah and across the Kingdom. We also look forward to bringing our smart infrastructure solutions to smart cities across the Kingdom and enabling safe autonomous vehicle deployments at scale.”
Wadi Makkah Ventures has discussed the possibility of applying the Derq technology to certain areas in the Holy Capital.Eng. Khaled Abdel-Ghani Suleimani, Chairman of the Board of Directors & The Investment Committee of Wadi Makkah Ventures says “With a planned target of 30M Umrah pilgrims and a population of 2.5M residents in Makkah city in-like with Vision 2030, the need for smart mobility solutions is critical to optimizing the capacity of the existing infrastructure in addition to streamlining traffic flows Derq’s revolutionary technology is tackling the issues of road safety and traffic congestion in the Holy Capital. Investing in smart technologies like this will transform mobility between the holy cities – making it safer for all residents.”