EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Cities across the world “are broken” and need better data through mobile to plan and utilise limited resources, claimed Philip Mcaleese, CEO and founder of See.Sense.

See.Sense, founded in 2013, is the company behind ICON, the “intelligent bike light” designed for cyclists, and the devices are now selling worldwide after achieving nearly 1,000 backers on crowdfunding platform Kickstarter, raising almost £80,000.

The gadget, while providing cyclists with “situational awareness” promoting more safety on the road, also collects data “for smart and future city initiatives”, said Mcaleese, which means authorities can act on issues that may arise ahead of time.

“Cities in particular are interested in pot hole information, which we are able to identify by monitoring the road’s surface’s roughness over time, and where and when potholes will form. This allows cities to fix the problem at a lower cost and with greater performance,” he said.

Speaking to Mobile World Live, Mcaleese also opened up on the company’s future plans for growth, which include city bike schemes, potential integration into buses, new sensors analysing air quality, and possible expansion from its UK base to New York and San Francisco.

Click here to hear about his plans.