Team Name: Mohalla Watch
Team Members: Hunain Kapadia, hunain88(at)gmail.com; Lauren Milord, LEM413(at)gmail.com
Presentation Link: http://prezi.com/ay-lbfqef1p7/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy
Description: Mohalla Watch allows a user to view, in real time, precisely where violence is occurring in Karachi. Using a simple website, a user can focus on a particular neighborhood of interest. Mohalla Watch uses data aggregated from Twitter and filters this data to find the most reliable information. This data gives users the ability to react to violence in a short period of time. For example, the average commuter can receive a text message update notifying them that their regular route is disrupted so they can plan accordingly. A financial investor in Karachi can use Mohalla Watch to determine if a market crash as a result of violence or political killing will occur, allowing them to sell their stock before other investors. A private transportation company such as a taxi company or a trucking company can use Mohalla Watch to determine how to adjust their routes instantly.
The product currently filters Tweets about violent events at the neighborhood level in Karachi, and provides relevant information via a website and a SMS notification system. We plan to scale to other major cities in Pakistan such as Islamabad, Lahore, and Peshawar within one year. Mohalla Watch has a three-tier membership model, allowing free users access to the most basic information. Tier two users will have access to SMS updates, and third tier users will have access to the raw structured data that Mohalla Watch generates. In addition, the product will raise revenue through advertisements both on the website and mobile app. The product will launch with an aggressive marketing strategy using both web and mobile advertisements as well as traditional print advertisements targeting financial publications.
Current costs include maintaining a database, a server, and a website. After gaining a reliable user base, the 3-tier revenue model will kick in and provide revenue for the product. In the next 6 months, we will develop an improved User Interface (UI), host our website online, and begin to advertise via word of mouth. We want to find advisors with experience in marketing and big data.
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