Careem’s tech drive: Going beyond mobility

Careem’s tech drive: Going beyond mobility

When Careem first launched its ride-hailing service, everything was done manually. Sourcing the drivers was done via SMS, user requests came through via email and the two co-founders, Mudassir Sheikha and Magnus Olsson would regularly find themselves on Google Maps, providing directions to the drivers on the phone.

Eventually the company began to automate the processes and invested in the development of its backend technology. It developed its own mapping system and used artificial intelligence (AI) to allocate drivers to customers in their vicinity and to predict journey times. Today, this technology, which was used to move people, now underpins its super app, which seeks to move physical goods and money too.

We met with the recently-appointed Careem's vice president of engineering and mobility, Baber Shaikh, to discuss how the Covid-19 crisis has expedited the adoption of advanced technologies, his views on Careem's experience in becoming a super app, and his priorities for Careem in the coming period.

Shaikh brings 20 years of engineering management and leadership experience having previously worked at Nvidia, Microsoft and Groupon.

How has the pandemic impacted the evolution of technology in our region?

Digitisation has definitely been put on steroids thanks to Covid-19. As people still have a fear of