Urban Connect offers Mobility-as-a-Service. Thanks to the platform, companies can enable their employees to access ecological vehicles in a concept of sharing
The business idea?
A multimodal mobility platform for businesses. Customers get access to an ecosystem of low-emission, shared vehicles ranging from e-bikes to e-scooters to e-cars – and all bookable via an app.
How did it come about?
The idea came about to address the increasing traffic congestion in our cities and the air pollution that comes with it. So we saw mobility-as-a-service – with companies as the hub – as the key to a more sustainable mobility landscape.
Why the name?
Mobility connects. Shared mobility even more so. We see a world where companies and other communities (e.g., superstructures) are becoming centers of gravity for shared employee mobility.
Where does the seed money come from?
From the founders. The company also closed a CHF 2.5 million seed round last year thanks to the Swiss Technology Fund.
The vision?
Every large company should offer its employees the Urban Connect app as a climate-neutral mobility platform. In this way, we can accompany our clients on the path to “Net Zero” – especially considering that over a third of Swiss emissions come from mobility.
What do you use to generate revenue?
Mobility-as-a-Service and Software-as-a-Service, fees from corporate customers, municipalities and superstructures.
The big strength?
The ability to help companies reduce their mobility-driven emissions to zero, saving them money, emissions and space.
The most surprising thing so far?
Large companies today are being “forced” by investors to chart a path toward net-zero emissions. However, very few are targeting employee mobility for this. That’s surprising, since mobility would be low-hanging fruit for companies to reduce emissions.
The biggest challenge?
Finding top employees who share the vision and have the necessary tools, including attitude, to drive further innovation and scale the business model.
The biggest success so far?
Making it through the Corona year. We actually gained 20 new customers and used the year for innovation to integrate both cars and e-scooters into the platform.
The next step?
Series A funding round in the second quarter of 2022 and foreign expansion.
Source: BILLANZ. Read the full original article here.
Marc Kowalsky
Deputy Editor-in-Chief, BILANZ
