🌐 Specialized Ebikes Go Globe-al

Plus, Bird shares Q1 financials, Reby acquired for $100m, and England wants to build "mini-Hollands"

May 17, 2022

15 Days til Amsterdam

Micromobility Europe is only 15 days away! Join us in Amsterdam on June 1-2 alongside founders from Zoomo, Tier, VanMoof, Dance, BinBin, Dott, and Pure Electric; investors from EIT Urban Mobility, Maniv Mobility, and HCVC; policy leaders from Amsterdam, Brussels, Berlin, and London; and top executives from UBCO, Bird, Gorillas, Bolt, and Valeo—to name a few.

🎟 All-access Just in Time tickets are still available - head here to save 40%

🏟 We have exactly 9 Expo Only tickets—which will get you access to networking and demos in the expo hall—for just €150

🙌 We’re looking for a few volunteers to help ensure the show runs smoothly in exchange for a free ticket. Reach out asap if you’re interested.

What You Need to Know This Week

  • “In the 1970s, through unprecedented civic action, the people of Amsterdam created arguably the first instance of ‘people’s mobility.’” Horace Dediu on the centuries-long journey that turned Amsterdam into a micromobility utopia.

  • Bird pulled in $38m in revenue in Q1 2022, up 48% from Q1 last year but down 30% from the previous quarter. In an unexpected reversal, Bird says it will deprioritize its retail channel, where sales of ebikes and scooters have slowed, and refocus its resources on shared rentals.

  • Berlin-based Get Henry, a startup that provides ebikes to delivery couriers and logistics companies, has raised a $17.4m seed round to expand its business across Europe.

  • Raising money? We just launched our new Investor Index - a searchable database that identifies some of the leading VC firms that have made significant investments in the micromobility space. It provides detail on each firm’s ethos, investment stage focus, and sample of relevant companies they’ve supported. Check it out here.

  • European shared micromobility startup Reby has been acquired by Canadian private equity firm House of Lithium for $100m.

  • US gas prices hit another all-time high last week.

  • The UK government is one step closer to legalizing the use of private escooters on public roads after introducing a new Transport Bill.

  • Indian EV moped maker Ather Energy has raised $128m in a Series E round.

  • Specialized, the third largest bicycle company in the US, is launching (or technically reviving) its Globe ebike brand as it doubles down on high-end electric two-wheelers.

  • Study after study shows that allowing cyclists to yield at stop signs rather than come to a complete halt (known as an Idaho stop) actually increases safety.

  • Bird and Lime are launching new tools to help alleviate the problem of shared scooters parking inappropriately, and both are powered by Google.

  • Speaking of Google, Harley-Davidson’sSerial 1 will be among the first ebike makers to integrate Google’s software products into its vehicles.

  • And speaking of Harley Davidson, the company just announced its most affordable electric motorcycle yet, the S2 Del Mar.

  • England announced £200m in new funding for cycling and pedestrian infrastructure, including a series of €1.5m grants for cities to conduct “mini-Holland” feasibility studies.

  • Gogoro, the Taiwanese company that makes EV mopeds and battery-swapping technology, is expanding into Israel.

  • On a related note, Dott is deploying shared scooters in Tel Aviv, its first market outside of Europe.

  • Tom Brady spent Saturday morning freewheeling around New York City on a Citibike, apparently loving every second.

Jobs to Be Done

Welcome to our jobs board, where every week we post open positions in hopes of connecting our talented readers with professional opportunities in the burgeoning world of new mobility. Find out who’s hiring below and sign up for the newsletter to view fresh listings every week.

Hit reply if you have a job that you’re interested in listing.

Felyx: General Manager Germany (Berlin)

HERE Protocol (Global):

Vassla:

Zoomo: