The Vision
Backseat was the first ride-sharing solution in Sydney, Australia. Born during the early days of the sharing economy, it connected drivers and passengers for affordable, community-driven urban transport — before the ride-sharing market exploded.
My Role & Impact
As co-founder and CTO, I was involved from day one — focusing on the product from user experience through to implementation and delivery on both iOS and Android. I owned the full technical stack, made architecture decisions, and shipped cross-platform mobile apps while managing the designer and support team.
This was hands-on startup work: designing the backend, building the mobile experience, and iterating rapidly based on real user feedback from Sydney’s commuting community.
Tech Stack
Built on a full-stack JavaScript architecture:
- Frontend: Angular.js for responsive web interfaces
- Mobile: PhoneGap for iOS and Android cross-platform deployment
- Backend: SailsJS with Node.js for real-time ride coordination
- Database: MongoDB for flexible, scalable data storage
- Build: Grunt for asset pipeline and automation
Key Features
- Real-time matching: WebSocket-powered ride requests and driver acceptance
- Location tracking: GPS integration for live driver and passenger positioning
- Cross-platform apps: iOS and Android delivery through PhoneGap
- Rating system: Community trust through peer reviews
- Driver & passenger profiles: Identity and reputation management
The Journey
Backseat was a pivotal moment — moving from developer to product builder and company co-founder. It was an intense, fast-paced 9 months that taught me about shipping products under constraints, managing technical debt in a startup, and the importance of user empathy in product design. The experience directly shaped my path into subsequent ventures like Liftango.
Status: Terminated · Involvement: Completed