Rick Warner is passionate about parking -- specifically in urban areas. His company ParkingCarma, aims to reduce congestion and emissions along with time-wasting space-searching with the implementation of GPS-enabled smart-chip technology that will match cars to parking spots.
Warner finds parking the opportune "problem" to solve with the confluence of mapping and wireless technology. "The problem is information. The rules are too broad and realities change over time," he says, boiling parking down the same way a programmer would visualize a code.
How does Warner solve the problem? A ParkingCarma user pre-pays each month. They then use their cell phone to be directed to a space that is connected to the system via a chip.
The company recently moved from San Jose to Flint, although they are currently beta-testing ParkingCarma in the San Francisco Bay area, and will soon expand to San Diego and Los Angeles.
So why move to Michigan when there is business in California? Warner has Michigan roots and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation offered him an attractive package to do so. But that's not all. Warner says the welcome reception and eager workforce is something he wouldn't find anywhere else.
ParkingCarma's call center will be located in Flint, with about 100-120 employees. Having raised $1 million in start-up funds, he is now working to raise $8 million in venture capital and establish corporate headquarters. He is still looking around southeast Michigan -- the most he would say is that he would "love to be in Detroit."
Source: Rick Wagner, ParkingCarma
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.