A Montreal-based startup is using Buffalo as a springboard to other markets in the United States.
Ember, which developed an in-car entertainment screen for taxis and ride-hailing vehicles, has named the Queen City as its U.S. headquarters and plans to add to its local team.
“We see Buffalo really as our starting point,” said Marc Tanguay, who started Ember in 2019. “Buffalo will be our proof of concept, our success story.”
Ember’s goal is to enhance riders’ experiences and give brands the opportunity to connect with a highly engaged audience. Offerings include passenger-activated local, geo-targeted advertising, contactless backseat payment and destination confirmation to ensure drivers are routing to the desired locations.
The startup expects within the next few weeks to launch a programmatic offering where digital advertisers can bid in real-time on advertising impressions, according to Tanguay.
After connecting with Bill Yuhnke, president of Liberty Yellow Cab in Buffalo, at a conference, the two became partners. Ember began installing its devices into Liberty Yellow Cab vehicles early this year and now has its units in over 300 cabs in Buffalo.
The business has nine employees in Montreal, two in Toronto and two in Buffalo. By the end of this year, the Buffalo team could grow to four and, by the end of next year, Tanguay expects to hire a development team in Buffalo, bringing its local headcount to around 13.
The startup has been utilizing part of Liberty Yellow Cab’s office at 1580 Kenmore Ave., Buffalo as its U.S. headquarters.
It’s a good location for Ember because of its supportive network there – which includes Yuhnke, who will officially become president this month of The Transportation Alliance – and Buffalo’s proximity to the startup’s Canadian operations and other U.S. markets. Ember recently launched in the Cleveland market.
“We want to be first and foremost a success in Buffalo,” Tanguay said.
Ember has its devices in around 1,200 vehicles total, between Canada and the U.S., and aims to reach at least 3,000 in the U.S. alone by the end of next year.
But it’s not just about the number of vehicles, Tanguay said. It’s about high-performing, active vehicles.
With about 300 Buffalo vehicles currently, Ember reaches roughly 30,000 passenger hours – meaning number of hours a passenger is in the vehicle – per month. The business expects to be in 500 local vehicles by the end of 2024 which would bring the business up to 50,000 passenger hours per month.
“We can really only advertise when there’s somebody sitting there,” he said. “Our entire platform works so that it’s not an endless loop. (It’s) only on if there’s a passenger.”
