10 start-ups that are helping to change the Arab world

[…] Here's a closer look at just some of the start-ups that are helping to solve several of the region's most pressing challenges. […] Derq (United Arab Emirates) - Road traffic accidents kill 1.35 million people every year, according to the World Health Organisation. Derq wants to change that.

Derq Awarded First Prize for Artificial Intelligence at 2019 SXSW Pitch®

AUSTIN, TX — March 10, 2019 — Derq Inc., an artificial-intelligence (AI) company, which delivers innovative road safety solutions that help eliminate crashes and save lives, today announced the company took home first prize for Artificial Intelligence at the 11th annual SXSW Pitch® (formerly SXSW Accelerator), the marquee event of South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conference and Festival’s (March 8-17, 2019) Entrepreneurship & Startups Track.

The World Health Organization estimates that there are 1.35 million traffic fatalities every year due to largely preventable crashes. Derq, an MIT spin-off and Techstars Mobility alum, is working closely with the automotive industry, state and local governments, and intelligent transportation systems providers to drastically reduce this number. In its active deployments in Dubai and Detroit, Derq’s software monitors vehicles, pedestrians, bicycles, scooters, and other vulnerable road user interactions to predict and prevent collisions, creating up to two additional seconds of warning-time for drivers and vehicles.

SXSW Pitch honored 10 of the world’s most exciting innovations in categories including Artificial Intelligence, Augmented & Virtual Reality, Blockchain, Enterprise & Smart Data, Entertainment & Content, Health & Wearables, Hyper-Connected Communities, Social & Culture, Sports & Performance Data, and Transportation & Delivery.

“We are honored to be recognized for our work in Artificial Intelligence to reduce road accidents and save lives,” said Dr. Georges Aoude, Co-Founder & CEO of Derq. “Derq partners with leading government and technology agencies to make roads safer and smarter across the globe. We believe this award shines an important light on the challenges facing drivers and road owners / operators, and we look forward to continuing to contribute to making roads safer across the globe.”

During Derq’s pitch, Dr. Aoude highlighted how Derq’s patented and award-winning algorithms analyze roadside sensor data in real-time to predict dangerous situations with enough time to warn drivers. Dr. Aoude shared  how Derq’s applications focus on detecting, classifying, and tracking the movements of all road users – vehicles, pedestrians, bicycles, and scooters – and how Derq’s proprietary algorithms predict the behaviors and intentions of these road users in order to better inform the decisions of all drivers. In addition to driving “active safety,” Derq provides road owners / operators with advanced understanding of road usage and behaviors to help inform road management and design. Derq is currently live in both Dubai and Michigan, where its applications will benefit both conventional and autonomous vehicles.

"For more than a decade, we’ve had the pleasure of watching the leading startups of today and tomorrow successfully capture the attention of investors, partners and prospective customers – giving innovative CEOs the added boost and confidence they sometimes need to exceed the goals they've set for themselves and their teams,” said SXSW Pitch Event Producer Chris Valentine. “This year’s winners showcase the best of the best when it comes to delivering cutting-edge solutions that inspire change in their respective industries and change around the world. Our team at SXSW Pitch has been left inspired and impressed, and we look forward to witnessing their future successes.”

For more information about SXSW Pitch and to view the complete list of winners, visit: https://www.sxsw.com/pitch

About Derq

Derq is mission-driven to reduce road accidents and save lives by using artificial intelligence and V2X technology. Through its proprietary technology Derq can predict and help prevent road collisions for both conventional and autonomous vehicles by leveraging smart city and connected vehicle ecosystems. Derq was founded in 2016 and is headquartered in Dubai and Michigan. To learn more, visit: www.derq.com, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Derq is a trademark of Derq Inc.

About SXSW

SXSW dedicates itself to helping creative people achieve their goals. Founded in 1987 in Austin, Texas, SXSW is best known for its conference and festivals that celebrate the convergence of the interactive, film, and music industries. The event, an essential destination for global professionals, features sessions, showcases, screenings, exhibitions, and a variety of networking opportunities. SXSW proves that the most unexpected discoveries happen when diverse topics and people come together. SXSW 2019 will take place March 8-17.

Media Contact:

media@derq.com

Derq Demonstrates AI-Based Road Safety Applications With Qualcomm Technologies Using C-V2X Technology at CES

Derq C-V2X Demonstration Available at the Qualcomm Technologies Automotive Booth, Located in the Las Vegas Convention Center North Hall (Booth #5609) 

LAS VEGAS – January 7, 2019 - Derq Inc., an artificial-intelligence (AI) company, which delivers innovative road safety solutions that help eliminate collisions and save lives, announced today the company will showcase Derq’s AI-powered road safety applications at the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) 2019.  The demonstration will showcase how its software can potentially help create safer environments for pedestrian and vehicles.  Derq has worked with Qualcomm Technologies to showcase these capabilities using the cutting-edge Qualcomm® 9150 C-V2X chipset solution, at Qualcomm Technologies automotive booth, located in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center (booth #5609).  The Qualcomm 9150 C-V2X chipset solution is a product of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated.

The World Health Organization estimates that there are 1.35 million traffic fatalities every year due to largely preventable crashes. Derq, an MIT spin-off and Techstars Mobility alum, is working closely with the automotive industry, state and local governments, and intelligent transportation systems providers to drastically reduce this number. In its active deployments in Dubai and Detroit, Derq’s software monitors vehicles, pedestrians, bicycles, scooters, and other vulnerable road user interactions to predict and prevent collisions, creating up to two additional seconds of warning-time for drivers and vehicles. Working with Qualcomm Technologies in this showcase, Derq is demonstrating how C-V2X - a global solution for vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology - is designed to support improved automotive safety, automated driving, and traffic efficiency, and is based on globally recognized 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) specifications with ongoing evolution designed to offer forward compatibility with 5G.

“This year at CES, we’re thrilled to work with Qualcomm Technologies to demonstrate the integration of Derq’s AI software with the Qualcomm 9150 C-V2X chipset solution to showcase how AI-based applications can help predict and prevent road collisions before they happen,” said Dr. Georges Aoude, Co-Founder and CEO of Derq. “We’re mission-driven to help save lives and drastically reduce crashes. We believe that working closely with governments and industry leaders, such as Qualcomm Technologies, will aid in ensuring a safer future for everyone, while advancing connected and autonomous vehicles. Scaling V2X infrastructure on roads and in-vehicles will scale the benefits of Derq’s road safety applications to further help eliminate road crashes.”

The demonstration will be featured at Qualcomm Technologies’ automotive booth during the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) 2019, located in the North Hall, booth #5609. To learn more about Derq and the company’s AI-powered road safety software email contact@derq.com.

About Derq

Derq is mission-driven to eliminate road accidents and save lives by using artificial intelligence and V2X technology. Through its proprietary technology Derq can predict and help prevent road collisions for both conventional and autonomous vehicles leveraging smart city and connected vehicle ecosystems. Derq was founded in 2016 and is headquartered in Dubai and Michigan. To learn more, visit: www.derq.com, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Derq is a trademark of Derq Inc.

Qualcomm is a trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated, registered in the United States and other countries. Other product and brand names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

Qualcomm 9150 C-V2X chipset is a product of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries.

Derq Teaches Driverless Cars to Safely Navigate Busy Intersections

There are many technical challenges to overcome in the development of self-driving cars, but one of the toughest is predicting and preventing collisions with pedestrians and other objects that end up in the roadway. [...]

Derq and FLIR Systems Collaborate on MDOT V2X Safety Project in Detroit

DETROIT - June 6, 2018 - Derq, a company developing innovative technologies that will help eliminate traffic crashes and save lives, launched two of its V2X applications as part of a Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and the PlanetM Startup Grant pilot in downtown Detroit.

Located at Jefferson Avenue and Randolph Street, Derq software monitors vehicle-to-infrastructure and vehicle-to-pedestrian interactions to predict and prevent collisions. Derq uses its patented Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms to create up to 2 additional seconds of warning for vehicles and drivers. In Detroit, Derq will initially focus on vehicle and pedestrian-related risks around intersections.

As part of this deployment, Derq worked with MDOT to select and install sensors on the intersection. These sensors provide data feeds for Derq to run its software applications, generate predictions, and communicate threats in real-time. Derq selected FLIR Systems’ thermal imaging and combined visible/radar sensors in this deployment.

“We’re extremely excited to be collaborating with FLIR on this Detroit program, and to use Derq’s AI software capabilities to predict road incidents before they happen,” said Dr. Georges Aoude, Derq’s CEO & Co-Founder. “The intersection of Jefferson and Randolph represents one of the most challenging for pedestrians and cars in the city, and is also one of the most prominent locations. It’s a complex intersection connecting major roads and highways, as well as the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel. With such dense vehicle and pedestrian traffic, using FLIR sensors to feed our models gives us great confidence in our ability to demonstrate how Derq V2X applications can make Detroit roads safer.”

“At FLIR, we are committed to sensor systems that can help save lives and livelihoods,” said Travis Merrill, President of the Commercial Business Unit at FLIR. “We are excited to provide FLIR V2X thermal and visible/radar sensors as part of Derq’s safety project with the Michigan Department of Transportation.”

Derq is showcasing its technology at the ITS America Conference in Detroit from June 4-7, and sees this deployment as an opportunity to continue growing inside Michigan with the continued support from organizations like PlanetM.

For more information on Derq or its AI V2X systems, please reach out to Derq at contact@derq.com.  

About Derq
Derq is on a mission to eliminate road accidents and save lives by using artificial intelligence and V2X technology. Through its proprietary technology Derq can predict and help prevent road collisions for both conventional and autonomous vehicles leveraging smart citiy and connected vehicle ecosystems. Derq was founded in 2016. The company is headquartered in Dubai with a US headquarters in Detroit. To learn more, visit: www.derq.com and follow @DerqAI.

About FLIR Systems
Founded in 1978 and headquartered in Wilsonville, Oregon, FLIR Systems is a world-leading maker of sensor systems that enhance perception and heighten awareness, helping to save lives, improve productivity, and protect the environment. Through its nearly 3,500 employees, FLIR's vision is to be "The World's Sixth Sense" by leveraging thermal imaging and adjacent technologies to provide innovative, intelligent solutions for security and surveillance, environmental and condition monitoring, outdoor recreation, machine vision, navigation, and advanced threat detection. For more information, please visit www.flir.com and follow @flir.

Announcement: Derq featured at Siemens Innovation Area in Intertraffic 2018

Derq to Showcase AI and V2X Technology That Will Help Eliminate Road Accidents and Save Lives

Visit the Derq Team at Intertraffic 2018 at the Siemens Innovation Area Located in Hall 12 Booth 12.308 of RAI Amsterdam on March 20

Dubai, United Arab Emirates – March 19, 2018 – Derq, the company developing innovative technologies that will help eliminate road accidents and save lives, will be showcasing their V2X applications including Intersection Safety and Vulnerable Road User Safety with Siemens during Intertraffic Amsterdam 2018. Derq is amidst expanding its presence in Dubai and working on a number of pilot projects with road authorities in the U.S. and GCC, as well as several partnerships with OEM's and Tier-1 suppliers.

The CDC recently reported that an estimated 1.25 million people around the world die from largely preventable road accidents every year. An MIT-spinoff company and recent graduate of the Techstars Mobility program in Detroit, Derq is out to change this. The U.S. DOT estimates that V2X applications, such as the ones Derq is developing, can help reduce 80% of non-impaired collisions.

To learn more, stop by Hall 12, Booth 12.308 of RAI Amsterdam on March 20 and visit with the founders of Derq. Reach them at contact@derq.com.

About Derq

Derq is on a mission to eliminate road accidents and save lives by using artificial intelligence and V2X technology. Through its proprietary technology Derq can predict and help prevent road collisions for both conventional and autonomous vehicles leveraging smart cities and connected vehicles ecosystem. Derq was founded in 2016. The company is headquartered in Dubai with offices in Detroit. To learn more, visit: www.derq.com.

Dubai Decrees Itself the A.I. City-State of the Future

There’s no direct flight from Dubai to Detroit. So when the three co-founders of Dubai-based Derq, a traffic-safety startup, need to get to the carmaking capital of the U.S., they take a connecting flight on Air France through Paris or on Emirates through Boston. That typically means a four-leg, 32-hour round-trip for at least one of them once a month. [...]

Dubai's grand plan to become a global technology hub

Dubai has amazed the world recently with the hi-technology gadgetry it is adopting. Jeremy Howell looks at its plan to become a global tech hub.

Dubai's big plans to revolutionize how we travel

(CNN)Dubai is well known as a testing ground for future tech, and seen as a model for future living by many. 

[...]Derq describes itself as "a Dubai-based MIT spin-off with a mission to eliminate road accidents and save lives by using artificial intelligence and V2X (vehicle-to-vehicle or vehicle-to-infrastructure) technology."

CNN video feature can be found here.

Dubai Startup Derq Secures $1.5 Million Seed Round

Derq, a Dubai-based startup developing technology to reduce road accidents, has raised a $1.5 million seed round from undisclosed investors. The company is using the investment to further develop its technology and grow its team in Dubai. It’s also expanding to the U.S. where it has opened an office in Detroit, the de facto capital of the U.S. automotive industry.

Dubai startup raises $1.5m to use AI to reduce vehicle accidents and opens US office in Detroit

Derq aims to make cars smarter and recently raised $1.5 million in seed funding after graduating from Techstars Mobility Accelerator. In addition to growing its team and opening an office in Detroit, the company plans on using the cash to advance its tech that aims to reduce vehicle accidents by improving how cars and infrastructure talk to each other.

COMPANY UPDATE (19 OCT 2017)

Derq Secures $1.5M in Seed Funding to Eliminate Road Accidents and Save Lives

Signs Memorandum of Understanding in Dubai with Smart Dubai Office, Roads and Transport Authority and Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority

Dubai, United Arab Emirates – October 19, 2017 – Derq, the company developing innovative technologies that will help eliminate road accidents and save lives, today announced they have secured $1.5 million in seed funding to grow their team in Dubai, open a U.S. office in Detroit and further develop their proprietary technology.

The CDC recently reported that an estimated 1.25 million people die from road accidents, around the world, every year. This amounts to an average of 3,400 deaths every day, due in large part to accidents that can be prevented. An MIT-spinoff company and recent graduate of the Techstars Mobility program in Detroit, Derq is out to change this.

The company recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Smart Dubai Office, Roads and Transport Authority and Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority to implement Derq’s technology in Dubai’s Silicon Oasis’s roads and other areas including tram crossings. The MoU outlines a set of concise objectives, including demonstrating the feasibility and benefits of connected vehicle technologies for road safety on conventional and autonomous vehicles in Dubai, implementing and developing innovative AI solutions for collision prediction and prevention in the emirate, mining and analysing Big Data for road safety applications and other smart mobility solutions, and working together to improve and share knowledge and understanding in all four participating entities.

“Dubai is at the forefront of adopting innovative technologies that focus on improving road safety and autonomous vehicle deployments. We’re honored to be working with Smart Dubai Office, Roads and Transport Authority and Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority to implement Derq’s road safety technology in Dubai’s Silicon Oasis and other areas of Dubai,” said Dr. Georges Aoude, CEO for Derq. “While headquartered in Dubai, we recently graduated from Techstars Mobility in Detroit, and felt it was important to open an office in Detroit - the epicenter of mobility innovation in the U.S. Our recent seed round will help Derq establish a team in Detroit, grow our team in Dubai and continue developing our technology.”

Derq was co-founded by Dr. Georges Aoude (CEO), Dr. Amer Abufadel (CTO) and Karl Jeanbart, P.Eng. (COO) in 2016. To learn more about Derq, visit: www.derq.com.

About Derq
Derq is on a mission to eliminate road accidents and save lives by using artificial intelligence and V2X technology. Through its proprietary technology Derq can predict and prevent car accidents for both conventional and autonomous vehicles leveraging smart cities and connected vehicles ecosystem. An MIT-spinoff company and Techstars Mobility graduate, Derq was founded in 2016. The company is headquartered in Dubai with offices in Detroit. To learn more, visit: www.derq.com.

Dubai company gets funding of $1.5 million, opens Detroit office

Derq Inc., one of the 11 companies in the current class of the Techstars Mobility incubator program at Ford Field in Detroit, has raised a seed funding round of $1.5 million and is opening an office in Detroit to serve as its U.S. headquarters.

SDO Signs MoU with DSOA, RTA and Derq to Use Cutting-Edge Artificial Intelligence in Traffic Accident Prevention

Derq signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Smart Dubai Office, Roads and Transport Authority and Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority to implement its technology in Dubai. “We are proud to have the support of SDO, RTA, and DSOA to bring our solutions to Dubai’s roads.”

Not-so-accidental life-saving solution

If only road accidents could be averted it could help save so many lives and that is precisely the aim of Dubai-based Derq. The startup through its patented solution, DerqPrevent, helps predict 9 in 10 accidents prior to collision and warn drivers and vehicles with enough notice to pre-empt an accident at any time, independent of vehicle model, autonomy and surroundings making roads safer for drivers, passengers and vehicles.

THE NATIONAL - UAE

In an article titled, "Dubai start-up aims to cut UAE road accidents", Derq was featured on the home page of The National, a leading news source in the UAE. The National highlighted the recent achievement of Derq and discussed the technology, the team, and the vision. 

TECHSTARS MOBILITY

We have been accepted to Techstars Mobility and are thrilled to be working closely with leaders in the automotive industry and the best the start up ecosystem has to offer. Derq is proud to be part of the cohort!

ITECH SHOW - AL HURRA

Our CEO Dr. Georges Aoude featured on ITech Show - Alhurra discussing his journey from MIT to Dubai where he founded Derq. Thank you Toufic Gebran for hosting us on your show!

11TH INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM FOR BEST POLICE PRACTICES

The media office of the Government of Dubai covering the 11th Dubai Police Symposium, with a section summarizing the presentation of our CEO Dr. Georges Aoude on their innovation panel (in Arabic)