Switching careers is a tough decision, especially when you have two kids, a corporate job, and a mortgage. Leaving an executive role at HBO and turning down an offer at Google, Dash co-founder Jamyn Edis decided instead to launch a mobile app startup in 2012.
Why make the leap from a highly remunerative corporate job to a high-risk environment with no pay? Edis says he is taking ownership of his life and finally pursuing his passion.
“I like the idea of being responsible for my own destiny and being part of the experience of building something in your vision and having creative freedom,” Edis says. “As much as things are out of your control, there are variables you can control in a startup. But if you’re stuck in corporate life, you don’t necessarily have the option of creative freedom.”
Eight years ago, Edis met co-founder Brian Langel while working on a project together at HBO. Traveling a lot for business, they talked about what could improve a driver’s experience and what technology would be useful for drivers under various circumstances.
Given the amount of time and money people spend on cars, the pair observed that there was a lack of smart technology connecting drivers to their vehicles. So they created a software and app that is known today as Dash. All you need is to buy a device that plugs into the port next to the steering wheel.
Most people don’t know what happens under the hood of a vehicle, Langel says, which is why Dash explains to drivers what to do when a light goes off on the dashboard, how critical it is, how much it will cost to repair, and where to get it fixed nearby for cheap. It also clues you in on road conditions, speed limits, and your driving performance.
Parents can get notifications when their teenagers are driving poorly, cruising through neighborhoods they shouldn’t be in late at night, or are involved in an accident. The app is useful for young drivers who need quick answers on the most cost-effective repair shop. The app is particularly handy for eco-conscious drivers who want feedback on maximizing their vehicle’s fuel efficiency.
With nearly 300,000 users nationally and internationally, Dash is quickly becoming a must-have app on the road. In 2014, it launched Chassis API, the developer platform that third parties can use to build their own products. Vinli, a Dallas-based connected car startup that raised $7 million from Cox, Samsung, and First Round Capital, is one example of a company that benefits from it.
Dash’s mobile app is the core consumer product, but they also have two enterprise products. The first is Dash XL, which consists of a small OBD hardware device that plugs into each truck, records data, and sends it back to fleet managers, allowing them track cost efficiency and the whereabouts of their vehicles throughout various cities.
The second is Dash IQ, which is the company’s way of collecting data from its consumer-facing product and turning it into an analytics platform for government agencies, including the Department of Transportation and corporations like Allstate.
“We’re always going to have the consumer app that will be free to users, and that data is separate from any data that we monetize,” Langel said. “We gain traction, users, and credibility by going to the consumer. We’re going to keep giving them a good experience, and the revenue side will be from business-to-business transactions.”
Photo credit: Lauren Kallen, Dash