Carcode.me evolves to become car-dealer-sales tool
Carcode.me is one of those start-ups that hits its stride after it has evolved a little. The Ann Arbor-based start-up that calls the Tech Brewery home cut its teeth providing QR code technology to automotive dealerships. The idea was that providing QR codes would allow shoppers to access key info about the vehicles on the lot, such as make and model, while the dealership was closed. "We found that the sales staff was using it to pull up information get it to the customer," says Nick Gorton, co-founder & CEO of Carcode.me. "We realized our target market wasn't the customer but the sales people who can use it as a tool," says Steve Schwartz, co-founder & CTO of Carcode.me. The 2-year-old start-up now has its technology in 150 automotive dealerships across 13 states, which pay for it on the software as a service model. That growth has allowed the company to add one new team member (a software developer), expanding its team to three people. The company is also looking at raising a seed capital round to fund a marketing campaign later this year. Source: Steve Schwartz, co-founder & CTO of Carcode.me and Nick Gorton, co-founder & CEO of Carcode.me Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
Carcode.me is one of those start-ups that hits its stride after it has evolved a little.
The Ann Arbor-based start-up that calls the Tech Brewery home cut its teeth providing QR code technology to automotive dealerships. The idea was that providing QR codes would allow shoppers to access key info about the vehicles on the lot, such as make and model, while the dealership was closed.
“We found that the sales staff was using it to pull up information get it to the customer,” says Nick Gorton, co-founder & CEO of Carcode.me.
“We realized our target market wasn’t the customer but the sales people who can use it as a tool,” says Steve Schwartz, co-founder & CTO of Carcode.me.
The 2-year-old start-up now has its technology in 150 automotive dealerships across 13 states, which pay for it on the software as a service model. That growth has allowed the company to add one new team member (a software developer), expanding its team to three people. The company is also looking at raising a seed capital round to fund a marketing campaign later this year.
Source: Steve Schwartz, co-founder & CTO of Carcode.me and Nick Gorton, co-founder & CEO of Carcode.me
Writer: Jon Zemke
Read more about Metro Detroit’s growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
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