What motivated the decision to go public at this time?
DR: I have always believed that Via should be a public company. Our technology powers critical infrastructure for government organizations. I think it's really important for the public to have visibility into the finances and operations of companies that are responsible for such critical government services.
Over the past few years Via has grown very rapidly. As we scaled, we became increasingly confident in our internal processes and ability to project our financial results. Once we reached this point, where we believed we had the scale and level of maturity needed to be a successful public company, the decision to IPO was easy.
How does Via going public impact the category?
DR: I hope and believe that Via going public will bring much needed visibility to the public transit sector, and more generally to the acute need to build cutting-edge technology for local governments. Too few technology companies are developing solutions for cities or organizations like public transit agencies. But these organizations would benefit massively from access to intelligent software and AI-powered systems. Equally importantly, the residents that municipalities and public transit agencies serve are often those with the greatest need. Technology, if developed with the appropriate level of commitment and care, can truly transform these residents' lives. I find the GovTech space to be one of the most exciting, dynamic, and rewarding sectors to work in. I hope that Via's success will inspire other entrepreneurs to build companies that develop technology for governments.
What are you most proud of in getting to this milestone?
DR: I'm incredibly proud of our team. The Via team is truly one of a kind — exceptionally talented, dedicated, and mission-driven. This is a group that has worked so hard for so many years, often facing skepticism from multiple stakeholders, including investors who were initially unfamiliar with companies that provide solutions to governments. The team's ability to persevere and overcome every challenge along the way, and to do so with optimism and positivity, enabled us to reach this milestone.
Now that Via’s a public company, what are your strategic priorities for the next 2-3 years?
DR: Via's strategic priorities have not changed: we remain entirely focused on improving public transit systems around the world through best-in-class software and services. We will continue to innovate and pioneer new solutions and new ways of delivering affordable, high-quality transit, and being a public company gives us the resources to double down on our investment. In particular, we're very keen to continue to help cities and agencies consolidate services across public transit silos — from trains, to city buses, to schoolbuses, to microtransit and paratransit. We believe a transit system should run as a single integrated network, seamlessly operating in a coordinated fashion across all transit modes. We're excited to continue building towards this vision over the next few years.