Zag Daily takes a look at the five nominees selected for Micromobility Europe’s Startup Awards for 2024.
bo Mobility, PIX Moving, eWAKA Mobility, Electric Bicycle Innovation and Anod were selected. Each had five minutes to pitch live on the Ride Stage and were judged according to four categories: business model, product innovation, potential impact, and the quality of their presentation.
Micromobility Industries Conference and Podcast Host Oliver Bruce told Zag Daily: “I was really excited with the quality of the entrants for this year’s Micromobility Conference Startup Awards. We had companies from as far afield as Europe, the UK and Kenya showing the latest light electric vehicles that are some of the best that we’ve seen yet. I am pumped.”
bo Mobility was crowned the winner. “This is fantastic,” bo Mobility Investor and Advisor Cees de Witte, who received the award on behalf of CEO Oscar Morgan, told Zag. “It’s a sentiment to all the startups who started a dream, worked many many years and remained persistent. It’s magic.”
bo Mobility
Who they are: bo Mobility was founded by two ex-Formula One engineers and a former Jaguar Land Rover designer. Now, the Tesla-inspired Bo M e-scooter is recognised for its staple monocurve aluminium chassis that sets it apart from traditional geometry and gives a robust moving experience. “In terms of ease of uptake we’ve had people from 14 to 84 on the bo and in two years no one has ever struggled to ride it,” Oscar told the conference.
Why it matters: bo is now developing the world’s first technical coloured flax fibre e-scooter with technology company Hypatex. The prototype will use the strong, lightweight, and 100 percent biodegradable FlaxTex material to give it a net positive carbon footprint at the point of manufacturing.
PIX Moving
Who they are: Chinese startup PIX Moving is redefining the commute with its autonomous Robobus shuttle that can emulate almost any city environment. Built on PIX’s modular Ultra-Skateboard chassis, the Robobus can transform into any ‘moving space’, be it a meeting room, cafe or personal gym. Now, PIX is further cementing itself in the micromobility market with its Robo-EV Developer, a fully electric skateboard chassis which can be personalised to meet unique market needs. “It’s so exciting to be nominated for this award. It’s a great start for us and we have a lot to show,” PIX Moving Director of Europe Operations Sijia Liu told Zag.
Why it matters: PIX’s chassis technology paves the way for flexibility, and the Robo-EV Developer can be personalised to meet unique market needs. The modular design of the Robobus means its body can detach from the chassis to offer an on-demand shared mobility solution that’s tailored for different environments. “We developed and manufactured the whole vehicle so it’s completely sustainable and independent from the supply chain, and it adopts the most advanced future technology,” said the PIX Founder and CEO Angelo Yu.
eWAKA Mobility
Who they are: Kenyan technology startup eWAKA Mobility is creating a pathway to e-bike ownership with its last-mile delivery services in Africa. Through its fleet management solutions, eWAKA aims for riders to maximise utilisation of their bikes and the company has seen a 39% increase in riders’ take-home pay. “I am thrilled to have eWAKA Mobility nominated for the Startup Award. It is a recognition of our efforts to transform the last mile logistics sector in Africa and promote sustainable mobility solutions,” said eWAKA Mobility CEO Celeste Tchetgen Vogel.
Why it matters: In the last six months, eWAKA has enabled ownership of 350 electric cargo bikes and electric motorcycles. It has overseen 700,000 green deliveries, cut fuel costs by 50% and emissions by 90%. “Our approach not only enhances the livelihood of riders but also promotes sustainability and reliability in the logistics supply chain, creating value for all stakeholders involved.”
Electric bicycle innovation (EBI)
Who they are: EBI’s e-bikes are designed to bridge the gap between sport, leisure and lifestyle. The B2C player is shaking up the bike scene by developing its own gear system and engine, and working with carbon fibre and aluminium for a light ride. Two ranges are available for preorder: the Sports Series made for an outdoor adventure and the Urban Series designed to tackle the city.
Why it matters: EBI prides itself in being more than just a mobility tool. The ‘E’ signifies the brand’s commitment to the rider’s emotion and expression: to energise, embrace, emerge, encourage, and evolve. “It’s a great honour to participate and be nominated at Micromobility Europe. We all need to surf the same wave in the industry and we’ll be much stronger together,” said EBI Co-Founder Cédric Allemann.
Anod
Who they are: French e-bike manufacturer Anod has designed a hybrid bike with a battery that weighs the same as an iPad. The hybrid nature means electrical assistance is provided even when the battery is discharged, thanks to its second type of energy storage – supercapacitors made only of aluminium and coal that are 100% renewable. “I’m very proud and excited for Anod to have been nominated for the Startup Awards. It’s really great to have the opportunity to present Anod and our vision of urban mobility to the people involved in the future of urban mobility.”
Why it matters: Anod says its hybrid e-bike uses 6x less lithium than any other e-bike and 100% of the powertrain is made locally in France. It also halves energy consumption by charging the bike as the brakes are pressed. “To realise the ecological transition at scale we need to have a holistic solution: society needs to embrace new ways of consuming new products and new technologies which will work if better experiences are delivered,” Anod CEO Arnaud Malrin told Zag Daily.
