ParkWhiz, a Chicago startup known for its app that allows users to find and pay for parking spots in cities across North America, has created a new over-arching brand for itself that it hopes will help better encompass both its consumer facing products and B2B services.
The tech company announced Monday that it is rebranding as Arrive, a name that CEO and Executive Chairman Yona Shtern said communicates that the company offers more than just its consumer parking apps, ParkWhiz and BestParking.
Besides the apps, the company also has a growing B2B component in which it is supplying its suite of mobility services to companies like Avis, Amazon, Ticketmaster and Ford. Companies can use Arrive’s data and software to deliver the same kind of seamless payment and parking experiences through their own products. Over the last two years, Shtern said the company has signed nearly 100 partnerships and distribution deals.
The new name, Arrive, originates from when the company acquired Tel Aviv-based CodiPark in April, which is when the Arrive Network originally launched.
“I think it was really important for us to emphasize to all of our B2B partners that we’re not in competition with them,” Shtern said. “When we provide this service and we integrate it into their user flows, that is a completely separate operating unit and pursuit. They benefit from exactly the same work and optimization that we provide consumers on a direct basis.”
As for the company’s apps ParkWhiz and BestParking, Shtern said the user experience won't change much. Consumers can still search for and find those apps under their same names and use them the way they always have. Users will now just see messaging within the apps that says the service is “powered by Arrive.” Combined, the two apps have more than 3.5 million users.
The rebrand comes after the company had a particularly busy 2018. Besides acquiring CodiPark, ParkWhiz named Shtern CEO in March, replacing Aashish Dalal, ParkWhiz’s founder, who transitioned to chairman of the company’s board. Additionally, ParkWhiz raised $25 million from investors like Amazon’s Alexa Fund, NewSpring and Jump Capital.
“The intent of the fundraise was to give the company the capital it needed to complete this transformation into an enterprise B2B player,” Shtern said.
Arrive now employs more than 150 people, 110 of which are in Chicago at its West Loop headquarters. The company also has offices in the Philippines and Tel Aviv.
