One of Denver's own is revolutionizing the world of parking: with Parkifi's technology, parking operators optimize revenue, and you spend less time driving in circles looking for an open space.
Founded in 2014, Parkifi stemmed from frustration. Co-founders Ryan Sullivan and Rishi Malik were late to a meeting and couldn't find a parking spot--which only made it worse. The two were fed up with the difficulty of finding parking in the city, and wanted to do something about it. Their first idea was to create an app to help users find a parking space, but the two quickly realized multiple apps already existed, just none of them were being used.
Sullivan and Malik realized that these apps were unsuccessful because of a lack of data. Sullivan said,
"When and whether a parking spot is full or empty is not data that is gathered by anyone. We decided that we needed to create a platform, a device that would provide the missing data. Then all the mobile apps already out there could access it."
Parkifi uses sensor technology to provide real time data to parking lot operators, cities, and mobile applications. Operators can gain valuable insights on parking trends and patterns, and drivers spend less time circling for an open space. The company has now installed over 1,000 sensors and has a team of 22, including Jessica Goulding, one of Code's first Tech Leader Spotlights.
Parkifi's idea isn't new, many before have tried similar technology to solve the hassles of parking, but Parkifi is doing it for 10% of the cost. Typical parking sensor systems cost around $350 per parking space. At Parkifi, the hockey-puck sized sensors run at $30 apiece. The sensors are also made right here in Colorado to keep both the product and jobs local, according to Sullivan.
Additionally, Parkifi is located right in LoDo, and has a company culture that can't be beat. Check it out: