After returning to Kuwait following their university experience in the United States, two young Kuwaiti graduates recognized an opportunity.

Adel Al-Ghannam and Abdulaziz Al-Enezi noted that Kuwait was a ripe market for introducing new mobile phone app services. This is where the idea for WINCH, a roadside assistance app, began to formulate.

"We both went to the same university in the [United] States and were really impressed with all the apps we used that helped make a lot of people’s lives easier as well as ours. After coming back to Kuwait, we found that Kuwait was still very young in terms of online services and functional apps," Ghannam told StepFeed.

"We both used apps like Uber, Hailo, and other taxi apps in the past and felt that that was a great solution to the taxi industry. So we thought, since the process of getting roadside assistance is similar to getting a taxi, we could use the same concept with some adjustments and implement it to the roadside assistance industry in Kuwait."

After a year and half of planning and developing their idea, WINCH was finally ready for a beta launch in April of this year. The app allows users to request assistance when their vehicles breakdown on the road. Most people don't plan ahead for breakdowns and it can be incredibly inconvenient to figure out how to call a tow truck, especially when you're already frustrated. WINCH steps in and makes this process smoother.

"We meant for this version to be a sort of a beta version for us to test the app in the market and see if people like it and want it before we invest in it more heavily."

Even though the launch was meant as just a beta test with limited marketing, Ghannam and Enezi have been pleasantly surprised with how successful the app has already been.

"Our app has been downloaded more than 2,000 times with an average usage of one to three times per day."

Part of the apps success can be credited to the fact that its the first of its kind in Kuwait. As Ghannam pointed out, the only real competitor offering similar services is AAA, which operates globally. In the United States, an app called HONK! was recently released similar to Winch, but it has so far only targeted the American market.

Although calling for assistance is made seamless through WINCH, payments remain as direct transactions between the user and the two truck driver. In the next update, Ghannam explained they hope to add in-app payments.

"These payments would be made through credit cards or KNET payments, a local payment gateway, and rates will be controlled and specified by the WINCH Team. Once we introduce payments through the app, we are going to set the uniform pricing for all services provided through our app that will hopefully satisfy both our customers and tow truck drivers."

And do Ghannam and Enezi have big dreams of taking their app into other markets? They sure do.

"We would love to expand into the rest of the GCC and possibly the Middle East. Our vision is to be the 'go to' place for all your roadside assistance needs in Kuwait and the surrounding region."

WINCH can be downloaded via Google play and the App Store .