Zap Puts Ads On Top Of Taxi Cabs As They Scoot Around Town

Unlike startups Zoom, Pow, Zing, and Schwongooza, Turkish startup Zap is trying to disrupt the on-taxi advertising market. By placing bright LED signs on the top of standard cabs, the company aims to turn dead space into a lucrative advertising spot for drivers and fleets.

Founded by Yigit Kipman, Ahmet Bati and Emrecan Bati, the company has received a $100,000 grant to expand through Europe in 2015. The company can send ads to the LED signs automatically over the air and clients receive a cut of the advertising. Ads are displayed throughout the day and some hours are more expensive than others.

“We have completed a pilot during the local elections in Turkey and earned our first revenue,” said Bati. “We’re launching in Ankara by the end of this month with 10 taxis. Turk Telekom will be our first corporate customer.”

“Our business model is more effective, with cost-per-airtime model advertising budgets are used 100% effectively. Our technology is more advanced, high-impact LED screens than can be remotely controlled.”

The team has five years hardware and software expertise and the team recently joined Turkey’s accelerator program, PILOTT. They plan outfit 100 taxis in Turkey this year and hope to expand in 2015 after completing their Series A.

“Outdoor advertising has become so common and unattractive int he last years,” said Bati. “The real need of outdoor advertising market is reaching target audience effectively with limited budgets. So we introduce our disruptive outdoor advertising channel where we play ads based on location and time on taxi tops.”

Zap launched today at TechCrunch Disrupt in London. Bazooooonga!