Dustin Gimbel’s most-recent venture, the wayfinding app RouteMe, has not exactly been an overnight success story.
Initially, Gimbel’s product was meant to help people with vision impairments find things in their home.
Although that approach had some positives, it wasn’t enough.
“It was encouraging because it was getting us meetings and a lot of interest with big companies,” he said. “But it wasn’t delivering exactly what they wanted.”
So, the team pivoted. Now, the Orlando-based entrepreneur thinks he and his team have landed on a winner.
RouteMe is an indoor navigation system that focuses on wayfinding in spaces like airports, hospitals and entertainment venues.
“It’s been a ride,” said Gimbel, who has quickly surpassed his expectations of users.
Initially, he said, he’d have been happy with 300 but through some strategic partnerships, he has seen that number hit several thousand.
Last year, the project won a competition from Miami-Dade Innovation Authority, which opened the door to Miami Airport.
Shortly thereafter, a pilot program in Denver was launched.
The technology has also been used in Orlando’s airport and Tampa General Hospital.
Passengers in the airport can scan a QR code at a designated location.
In the download, they can then choose where they are heading with RouteMe, which generates a customized route that provides real-time guidance.
So far, partners have been impressed by RouteMe.
Officials with Abra, the controlling group of RouteMe client Avianca Airlines, announced its pilot program earlier this year.
“We aim to transform our passengers’ experience by simplifying their airport journey, said Michael Swiatek, Abra’s chief accessibility officer. “This tool is a huge step towards our commitment to providing and enabling an inclusive travel experience.”
The RouteMe app team has been working on some new features, including language translation, as it has grown.
The app is considered a “white label” app, which means companies and venues can add their own branding to it.
“There are so many ways to innovate in the travel space,” he said. “How can we serve the passenger better? Ultimately, we are all consumers and want to make products that make people’s lives easier.”