Dutch mobility platform umob has today announced its acquisition of Finnish mobility company MaaS Global.
MaaS Global is known for its Whim app that lets users book public transport, shared mobility such as e-scooters and e-bikes, taxis and rental cars all on one platform. Founded in 2015, it is considered the world’s first Mobility-as-a-Service company and Whim the first commercial MaaS service developed.
umob aims to continue the operation of Whim under its own name and build on the decade of MaaS experience of MaaS Global.
Umob’s acquisition will see Maas Global’s software operate under its pay-per-ride business model rather than a monthly subscription, which had previously been cited as a factor in the Finnish company’s downfall.
The announcement comes just one month after MaaS Global filed for bankruptcy in the District Court of Helsinki after a period of loss-making operations.
“For many years MaaS Global was the only one on the ground,” MaaS Global Founder Sampo Hietanen told Zag Daily. “This acquisition shows that the MaaS concept and business model is far from dead and if you build it up there’ll be a multitude of players for years to come.
“MaaS Global is NOT dead; long live Maas.”
umob’s MaaS platform fully integrates mobility providers into the umob app, meaning users only need one app to plan and pay for their trip, regardless of which provider is used and at the same price the provider charges. The firm’s key focus will be the transferral of the software and the scaling of its platform with a concept that differs from MaaS Global’s B2B and B2G models.
“The business model is different but the software is the same,” said umob Co-Founder Raymon Pouwels. “There’s so much investment in the software, and the 65 integrations that MaaS Global has got with the biggest operators in Europe are already of huge value for us to get on our platform.”
Umob also aims to double its team of 15 members this year and is in talks with the MaaS Global team to see what experience it can take in-house.
“The software clearly has value when you know how to use it.”
Having raised $6.5 million last year to advance its integration in the Netherlands, umob is now focusing on being active in cities on a larger scale with the integration of MaaS Global’s software.
