• Post category:Articles
  • Post published:9.1.2024

Ease of getting around the city and meeting people 

It would be nice to meet a friend who lives further away, but how can we get to the meeting point quickly and at the same time? And how can I meet the seller of a second-hand item at a mutually convenient location? Improving the logistics of connecting people is Bisamsson's business, and their product enables people to use public transport in a new way.

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You are currently viewing Ease of getting around the city and meeting people 
Taavi Lantela, Bisamsson's developer.

In line with sustainable development goals, the applications used in the cities should be able to reduce travel time and fuel costs. At the same time, the services should be efficient and flexible, and increase people’s well-being, perhaps also supporting social interaction. Bisamsson is a new start-up that has developed a prototype that addresses the challenges of sustainable development by calculating the fastest way for two people to meet by public transport in the Helsinki Region Transport (HSL) area. 

Bisamsson has developed a prototype that addresses the challenges of sustainable development by calculating the fastest way for two people to meet by public transport in the Helsinki Region Transport (HSL) area.

“In transport planning we talk about travel time budget, and in practice our product saves time budget and reduces travel time. We want to make it easier for people to meet each other and also to transport small packages in a creative way,” says Taavi Lantela, Bisamsson’s developer. The service could make life easier for second-hand buyers and sellers, small entrepreneurs of all kinds and, for example, organisers of play dates for children and dogs. 

The development phase is underway 

The idea was born out of the entrepreneur’s own experience: it is surprisingly difficult to plan meetings in the capital region because of the complexity of the public transport system and the time it takes. The prototype is currently operating in the HSL area, but it will be expanded to cover a larger area and a larger number of people.  

“Expanding the area is quite easy, but adding more users is more challenging because the calculation quickly becomes more complex,” notes Lantela. 

The product can be developed in any number of directions, depending on what users want. One possibility is to integrate the service into existing internet-based buying and selling platforms. However, the aim is for the service to operate autonomously and for a small fee to be paid for its use, says Lantela.   

“We welcome any ideas or tips on the technology, as well as suggestions on where the product could be developed. The next step is to turn the prototype into a product that is open to all, and we are now looking for funding to do this.” 

Open the service prototype with this QR code, test it and send feedback to taavi(a)bisamsson.fi. The link works best on an Android phone. If you can’t open it, please contact Taavi.

The Location Innovation Hub helps start-up entrepreneurs like Lantela to find suitable partners, national and international funding and networks to develop location-based innovations. Get in touch and let’s see how we can help!