New Innovator: CleverMiles

CleverMiles is a cloud-based rewards platform aimed at turning 18- to 35-year-olds into safer drivers. Good behavior behind the wheel is rewarded with CleverPoints, which members redeem against goodies including electronic gadgets to hotel breaks.

The original concept for CleverMiles came from a group of students at Sligo IT who competed in the Microsoft Imagine Cup in 2011. Their idea won from among 350,000 entries worldwide. Two of the original team members, James McNamara and Calum McCawley, formed Clever Miles and they were joined last December by tech entrepreneur John Quigley, who is leading the commercialisation. The platform is in its final test phase and will be launched simultaneously in Ireland and UK before Christmas.

"CleverMiles takes the carrot rather then the stick approach to young drivers and is the first of its kind globally," says John Quigley. "Its aim is to help young drivers become safer by providing feedback on their driving and tips for improvement. The tips come from Ben Collins, the former 'Stig' on Top Gear.

“We are hoping that organisations such as the GAA and the FAI will recognise CleverMiles as something worth promoting given the continuing loss of young lives on the road. We will also be attracting members by peer recommendation through social media.”

It costs €49 to join CleverMiles and members’ driving is monitored by a little “black box” that records how they behave in relation to speeding, swerving, braking and acceleration. Good behavior bags CleverPoints worth roughly 7c each. There are 10 levels of driving safety and as drivers improve the rewards become more attractive.

The CleverMiles shop is stocked by the company's partners, who currently include Shoesonline, Samsung, Hyundai, Topaz and the Carlton Hotel Group. Partners pay an annual fee to participate but Quigley says the real attraction is access to a very specific customer group.

"The shop stocks brands that appeal to 18- to 35-year-olds and, while research shows they don't like receiving direct ads for these brands, they are fine with indirect contact through friends on Facebook, for example. Our system is linked to social media so if someone gets a reward their community will hear about it," Quigley says. "We can also offer access to valuable products such as cheaper car insurance as we can deliver demonstrably safe drivers to the insurance companies."

CleverMiles is based at the innovation centre at Sligo IT and currently employs eight people. This is expected to double next year. The company expects to make its money from memberships, partnerships and commissions from insurance companies.

It has cost around €200,000 to fully develop the product and CleverMiles has recently completed a private funding round of €250,000. The company is part of Enterprise Ireland’s high potential start-up programme.

– OLIVE KEOGH