HopStop Maintains its Edge in Pedestrian Navigation

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Navigating large metropolises can be a cumbersome tasks, with planned changes to subway lines and bus routes, even for residents of busy cities. Often feeling the burden of navigational difficulty, Chinedu Echeruo founded HopStop in 2005 as a solution to the rampant problem. The NY-based company, now headed by CEO Joe Meyer, collects its data from transit agencies and other verified sources to provide information on navigating the cities the company covers, according to Xconomy. While other websites such as Google and MapQuest offer a similar service, HopStop offers information and directions that are tailored for pedestrians and transit riders, setting it apart from those formerly mentioned.

While HopStop has raised $2.2 million in total funding since its debut six years ago, the company has relied on ad revenues for the past three years, according to Xconomy. “People use us because we are helping them in their daily lives,” he says. “We don’t have to incentivize our users.”

HopStop, which is focusing its efforts on seeking business-to-business clients, offers the service free for users. Meyer says the highly localized use of HopStop allows advertisers to geographically target consumers. Users voluntarily share their locations, as well as where they plan to go, with HopStop, according to Xconomy. “That’s very powerful information and very indicative of user intent,” Meyer says. “Almost every ad that we serve is geo-targeted in one form or another.”

Xconomy