French self-service bike companies Smoove and Zoov, which merged almost a year ago, have today unveiled their new name – Fifteen.
The name refers to the urban concept of the 15-minute city, an ambition to make all essential services accessible in less than fifteen minutes of walking or cycling.
To make this ambition a reality, Fifteen has also announced it has raised €40 million in funding through Eiffel Investment Group and 2050.
Fifteen wants to offer communities “enhanced bicycle networks” by bringing together the various services related to bicycles – self-service bicycles, long-term rental bicycles, bicycles in stations and tourist bicycles.
Through these Augmented Bike Networks, Fifteen has said it will accelerate the modal shift from car to bike, strengthen the inclusivity of regions by addressing all types of cities and their suburbs, and improve the physical and mental health of inhabitants.
“Fifteen’s ambition is to erase the boundaries between city centers and suburbs, and to increase flexibility between different bike uses, in order to build more human and sustainable cities,” said Benoit Yameundjeu, CEO of Fifteen.
“Thanks to the support and confidence of Eiffel Investment Group and 2050, we will accelerate the deployment of Augmented Bike Networks in all territories, democratising the use of bikes to improve our collective well-being.”
