In June 2023, many concertgoers were frustrated and disappointed when they missed Hollywood singer Bruno Mars’s concert at the Philippine Arena due to massive traffic and difficulty finding parking. Some managed to attend but arrived only to find that just two songs were left in his setlist.
It’s devastating. Imagine waiting for months to see your favorite artists perform in your home country, only to miss their performance because of on-site issues like limited parking.
Businessman Jynon Mapa had a similar experience years ago when his favorite British rock band, Coldplay, visited the Philippines for a concert. This experience inspired him to launch his start-up, Park King.
“We wanted to give the best experience, right? But even now, you can book the best seat for a show, but you can’t book the best parking spot. You spend almost two hours just looking for parking,” said Mapa.
“So, as you can see, there’s no solution yet. Even during Bruno Mars’s concert, celebrities might miss events because they don’t have the option to reserve parking. Although, if you ask them, they would prefer to have a reserved spot,” he added.
Park King is a mobile app designed for reserving parking spaces, allowing users to book a spot in advance of an event. It utilizes IoT technology to physically secure each parking space for the users.
The company aims to transform parking at large-scale events, starting with the common concert parking issue. Mapa highlighted that Filipinos are willing to pay for reserved parking slots at concerts.
“It’s surprising, but even compared to first-world countries, ticket prices here are high. For example, watching a movie is cheaper in Singapore than in the Philippines. Filipinos are ready to pay for both tickets and parking,” Mapa said.
The app features a smart parking barrier that prevents other cars from using the reserved spot.
“Our barrier is at the forefront of our technology. It tracks the battery and connects via the app on your phone to control it,” he added.
Park King is one of the six Filipino start-ups that underwent Block Dojo’s intensive 12-week incubation program. Wrapping up their training, the six owners showcased their start-ups during Block Dojo’s “Demo Day” at the Asian Institute of Management on Aug. 1.
“This celebration marks not just our company’s achievements but also the progress of the startup ecosystem in the Philippines. We want each startup to showcase their solutions to fundamental problems faced by Filipinos daily,” said Toffer Briones, managing director of Block Dojo Philippines.
