After competing against promising startups from around the world, Dareesoft was chosen by a significant margin—an achievement that demonstrates formal recognition of the company’s technological excellence.

This project was launched as a collaboration between global VC Newlab and the NYC Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) to solve urban road management challenges through innovative technological solutions.
New York City manages approximately 6,000 miles (about 9,600 km) of roads and more than 13,000 signalized intersections, and operates the world’s largest automated enforcement system. However, maintenance of essential traffic assets—such as speed limit signs and streetlights—still relies on manual inspection, revealing limitations in both efficiency and accuracy.

Speed limit signs in particular are core infrastructure for traffic safety and enforcement. Missing or damaged signs can undermine enforcement consistency and reduce the overall reliability of the system. Currently, a small number of DOT personnel conduct manual inspections on a monthly basis, but this approach is unsustainable, slow to respond, and burdensome in terms of manpower and time.

To overcome these practical constraints and transition New York City’s traffic management system into a future-ready smart infrastructure, NYC DOT launched this program and selected Dareesoft - an AI-based solution provider - as its technology partner.

Dareesoft will apply its solution RiaaS (Road Hazard Information as a Service), which provides road hazard information sharing and management services, to detect, record, and manage speed limit signs across New York in real time.
Using an AI road analysis device mounted on vehicles, the system will automatically detect the condition of speed limit signs throughout New York and transmit detailed information to the server. This automated process is expected to significantly improve the inefficiencies of existing manual inspections and enhance the reliability of traffic enforcement systems.

Regarding participation in this project, Betty Row, CEO of Dareesoft, said:
“It is deeply meaningful that the Korean company Dareesoft has been selected for an Open Call taking place in the global city of New York. This marks a decisive turning point in leading the future of intelligent transportation and signals that Korean technological capabilities are being recognized on the global stage.”

She added,
“Through close cooperation with Newlab and the NYC Department of Transportation, Dareesoft will provide New York City with an AI-based speed limit sign monitoring solution. This solution will set a new standard for urban traffic safety and is expected to expand from New York—the center of urban mobility—to major cities around the world.”

Meanwhile, Newlab, which co-hosts the project with NYC DOT, is a global VC headquartered at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The company focuses on discovering promising startups and accelerating technology commercialization through collaboration with governments and enterprises. So far, more than 400 startups have gone through Newlab, collectively attracting over $5.8 billion in investment and achieving successful exits totaling $2.3 billion.

About Dareesoft

Dareesoft is an AI-based road hazard information service company founded in January 2020.
Within just two years of its founding, the company’s technological capabilities were recognized through selection in various government and startup support programs, including:

• the Ministry of SMEs and Startups’ Early Startup Package,
• KDB Industrial Bank’s NEXTONE 3rd cohort,
• IBK Bank’s Changgong 7th cohort of innovative startups, and
• the TIPS program.
• Recognized as Baby Unicorn by ministry of SMEs and Startups

Dareesoft’s road hazard information service RiaaS (Road Hazard Information as a Service) was selected as an innovative prototype by the Public Procurement Service and received the Minister of Science and ICT Award.

The company supplies RiaaS to local governments across Korea—including Seoul, Sejong, Gwangju Nam-gu, Hwaseong, and Uijeongbu—and is actively expanding overseas to Canada, the United States, the UAE, Peru, Japan, and beyond.