SLUSH: Where to invest next in the mobility sector? 

With more than 75% of Europeans living in cities and a pressing need for the transport sector to decarbonise and modernise, the mobility sector stands as the perfect playing field for innovation. At SLUSH, an annual landmark event for the start-up ecosystem, hosted in Helsinki from 30 November to 1 December ; EIT Urban Mobility hosted a side-event featuring mobility industry experts on the perception of start-ups and venture capitalists (VCs) regarding the sector’s current and future trends.  

The panel included Fredrik Hanell, Director of Impact Venture for EIT Urban Mobility; Dr Terhi Vapola, Managing Partner & Founder of Greencode Ventures; and Johan Høgåsen-Hallesby, Co-founder of Beta Mobility. The discussion, moderated by Cate Lawrence, a senior writer at Tech.EU, covered key aspects such as the challenges, opportunities, pitfalls, and trajectory of the sector in the coming years. The session concluded with start-ups in the audience presenting their solutions, and an open discussion on impact investments and on closing the pre-seed/seed funding gap. 

Investments and evaluating impact of a start-up in the mobility sector. 

The panellists emphasised the importance of understanding the complexity and distinctiveness of the mobility sector. Johan Høgåsen-Hallesby highlighted the necessity of comprehending regulations and city dynamics before scaling to new markets. Terhi Vapola stressed the wide scope of the mobility sector, emphasizing the need to adopt suitable models for every start-up entering this field. She stressed that as a VC, she is assessing solutions in relation to local needs, contemplating the adaptability to different city contexts. The panellists also looked into the significance of comprehending the investment strategy of start-ups and their alignment with the urban environment’s growth trajectory. Fredrik Hanell highlighted that mobility start-ups tend to have a higher survival rate due to their market-by-market (city-by-city) approach. 

The discussion further explored the impact of regulations on mobility start-ups, acknowledging that while regulations may introduce instability, they establish a positive framework for start-ups, as seen in the case of scooter companies. The conversation also touched on ethical considerations in the mobility sector, where safety and social impact must be deeply ingrained in every new solution. The panellists acknowledged the importance of measuring success beyond financial metrics, considering environmental and social transitions. They emphasised the need for profound ethical thinking in an industry where lives are at stake. 


ZOOM on the Upright Net Impact Model : In order to measure a company’s net impact, and deliver a transparent view across specific categories, EIT Urban Mobility and Greencode Ventures employ the Upright Net Impact Model, a quantification model that is based on a neural network summarising more than 250 million scientific articles, public statistical databases and a proprietary taxonomy of over 150,000 product and service categories. Although start-ups do not have to do their own assessment both investors agreed that they will look at similar criteria before deciding to invest. According to this model, EIT Urban Mobility’s portfolio scores a 48% positive net impact score, significantly higher than the 40% of the control group of the Upright Benchmark. The start-up companies in the portfolio score especially high on the environmental dimension, +217% compared to benchmark.  


Scaling and financing software or hardware start-up. 

The conversation at SLUSH explored the challenges of scaling, with a focus on business models and with the recognition that some solutions might take longer to scale due to their hardware nature. While hardware companies presently face greater funding challenges compared to their software counterparts, the conversation encouraged start-ups to explore alternative capital sources beyond traditional venture capital. Notably, experts advised aspiring entrepreneurs in the hardware sector to prioritise establishing partnerships within the industry, securing patents, and initiating operations on a smaller scale in a single city before pursuing global expansion. Drawing parallels to historical patterns where investment preferences have transitioned between software and hardware, Fredrik Hanell expressed optimism that the current preference for software investments amongst the VC would shift.  

Rapidly evolving trends and impactful disruptors are reshaping the landscape of the industry, setting the stage for the future. 

As seen over the past several years, changes could occur more quickly and at greater scale than many are prepared for, especially in densely populated areas. The future of mobility looks like a complex ecosystem with actors of various sizes and influence offering different mobility solutions to consumers. The panellists identified capacity issues, electrification, and the enabling aspects of electrification as evident trends in the mobility sector. They also highlighted the impact of new mobility services, data and connectivity, and autonomous vehicles.  

The discussion also touched on the new needs that will emerge from the Global South, emphasising the need for speed and innovative ideas to scale solutions. While Europe boasts an advanced public transport network, novel markets present opportunities for scaling up developed mobility innovations significantly. Against this backdrop, the panellists concluded by advocating continued participation in industry events, acknowledging the difficulties in fundraising over the past year. The message of hope centred on building solutions that align with personal beliefs and have the power to drive meaningful change in the industry.  

A multimodal approach to sustainable and urban transport at Tomorrow.Mobility

Media Center

Infographic on Mobility Data Space in EN, DE, ES

Text available in IT, PT, SE, DE, DK, FR.

EIT Urban Mobility, an initiative of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the EU, is driving the necessary shift towards a greener future for urban mobility by co-organising with Fira de Barcelona, Tomorrow.Mobility World Congress (TMWC). TMWC, serves as an essential platform for global leaders, experts, and visionaries to convene and foster collaborative efforts aimed at reshaping the future of urban mobility. From 7 to 9 November in Barcelona, this congress, in the framework of Smart City Expo, facilitates knowledge-sharing and drives innovative solutions for a smarter, cleaner, and more interconnected urban mobility landscape.

As CEO of EIT Urban Mobility and President of the Tomorrow.Mobility World Congress Advisory Board, Maria Tsavachidis emphasises the critical need for expedited action in light of recent warnings from the IPCC[1] and the European Union on climate change. “We stand at a pivotal moment, where the urgency of climate action demands a radical shift in the way we approach urban mobility. With the transportation sector identified as a significant contributor to the climate crisis, EIT Urban Mobility advocates for a reimagined and integrated approach to mobility in cities, emphasising the importance of multimodality. This strategic approach leverages the unique strengths of various transport modes, enabling a seamless and sustainable transition towards environmentally conscious urban transportation systems.”

According to the findings from a study by EIT Urban Mobility, the transition towards sustainable urban mobility in Europe is expected to necessitate an additional €86 billion by 2030. Encouragingly, this investment is projected to yield substantial returns, with each euro allocated to the transition potentially generating up to €3.06 by 2030. Results[2] show that by 2030 pricing schemes (congestion and pollution charging, parking pricing, public transport integrated ticketing and tariff schemes) is the set of measures with the highest net benefits in small and medium cities, while innovative services (Demand Responsive Transport, autonomous vehicles, Intelligent Transport Systems) are the better choice for large cities’ transition pathways.

EIT Urban Mobility releases during the event its latest study on “Unlocking the Future of Mobility with European Data Spaces” in collaboration with Factual and i2CAT. With at least 400 mobility data sharing initiatives currently active in Europe, today’s mobility data landscape is scattered and requires better interoperability to deliver its full potential and enable seamless multimodality. As mobility is not only a strategic sector but also a vector that connects other economic areas of activity, the relevance and potential of data spaces for mobility is even greater. 

At a macroeconomic level, the European Commission estimates that the access to real-time information on traffic avoidance and train delays could save up to 730 million euros and 27 million hours, respectively, equivalent to more than €20.74 billion in labour cost savings.  The Mobility Data Space (MDS) framework should include:

  • Optimisation of mobility strategies through enhanced access to high-quality data.
  • Simplification of navigation across various transportation networks, leading to improved services and sales forecasts.
  • Empowerment of citizens through improved mobility options, reduced journey times, and access to reliable traffic information.
  • Enhancements in safety through up-to-date road condition data, facilitating informed decision-making for safer journeys.
  • Business opportunities for data vendors, cost savings through shared resources, and the fostering of joint innovation for enhanced user experiences.

The recent launch of the Cycling Declaration has been a significant stride forward, aligning with the European Year of Skills initiative that aims to bolster education and skill expansion across Europe. As European cities today face the fundamental challenge of empty, single, and low occupancy passenger transport vehicles, a trend that is worsening every year, with more than 560 passenger car and 81 commercial cars per 1000 inhabitants (2022). This escalating trend underscores the urgent necessity for sustainable, accessible, and inclusive transportation solutions, emphasising the importance of tools such as mobility data space and comprehensive multimodality planning.


[1] Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

[2] 779 European cities of more than 50K inhabitants

Urban Mobility Days 2023: EIT Urban Mobility Takes the Stage 

Register Now for Urban Mobility Days 2023 in Seville, Spain or follow live 

Seville, Spain, 2 October 2023 – Urban Mobility Days 2023, a European Commission flagship event in the realm of urban transport and sustainable mobility, is set to take place from 4-6 October in Seville, Spain. This event will bring together an array of personalities, including politicians, local authorities, industry leaders, and urban transport practitioners, all converging with the European Commission. Urban Mobility Days serves as a platform to foster connections and engage in discussions for a sustainable, innovative, and equitable future for urban mobility. The event will see the high-level participation of Raquel Sánchez Jiménez Minister of Transport, Spain; Adina-Ioana Vălean, European Commissioner for Transport; Juan Manuel Moreno, President of the Government of Andalucía; José Luis Sanz Ruiz, Mayor City of Seville and Maria Tsavachidis, CEO of EIT Urban Mobility. 

2023 has been designated as the European Year of Skills, and Urban Mobility Days will place a special emphasis on enhancing transport-related skills. This strategic focus aims to equip professionals in the field with the knowledge and competencies needed to drive forward the urban mobility agenda. Organised in collaboration with the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, this event promises to be a pivotal moment in the journey towards sustainable urban mobility solutions. Join us at Urban Mobility Days 2023 to be part of this significant conversation and contribute to the advancement of European urban mobility. 

EIT Urban Mobility, led by Maria Tsavachidis, CEO, will play a central role in shaping the discourse on urban mobility with its involvement in key activities: 

  • Friday, 6 October, 12:00 – 13:00 : Closing Plenary on Just Transition and Skills in Urban Mobility 
  • EIT Urban Mobility will co-host a workshop with Polis on Wednesday, 4 October 2023, from 9:00-11:45, within the programme of Urban Mobility Days. Titled “Citizen Engagement Workshop: Engaging with the Public and End Users on Sustainable Urban Mobility Solutions,” this workshop will be led by Julienne Chen, Head of Citizen engagement at EIT Urban Mobility.  

On Thursday, 5 October, 09:30 – 10:45, EIT Urban Mobility’s Director, Daniel Serra, will be a panellist in “All You Ever Wanted to Know About the Common European Mobility Data Space. Unlocking the potential of data is essential to transition faster towards a more sustainable and smarter transport and mobility system. The panel will explain the concept and its impact on urban mobility.

CIVITAS has tasked EIT Urban Mobility for its expertise in evaluating ready-to-market solutions from their project portfolio and coordinating all AGORA activities at the Urban Mobility Days. The solutions will be doing a 15min pitch of their products at the AGORA stage and are available for networking at their respective booths: 

  1. Thursday, 5 October, 10:55 – 11:10: NEMO project’s Pollution Monitoring Device: Monitoring air pollution by remote sensing | Nemo (nemo-cities.eu) & Monitoring Air Pollution by Multispectral Imaging | Nemo (nemo-cities.eu) 
  1. Thursday, 5 October, 11:15 – 11:30: NEMO project’s Noise Monitoring Device: Monitoring Noise by Remote Sensing | Nemo (nemo-cities.eu) in individually sourcing noise emitters 
  1. Thursday, 5 October, 15:40 – 15:55: Park4SUMP project’s ParkPAD: ParkPad in guiding cities‘urban parking policies 
  1. Wednesday, 4 October, 16:15 – 16:30 HARMONY project’s MobyApp: Moby APP – MobyX – Transport software solutions, for Travel data collection from your phone 
  1. Wednesday, 4 October, 15:55 – 16:10: HARMONY project’s MS: Harmony MS – MobyX – Transport software solutions, for flexible planning platform for urban modelling 

Attendees will have the opportunity to explore the EIT Urban Mobility booth, where they can engage with representatives from various projects. The booth will feature the following projects and representatives: 

Don’t miss this exceptional opportunity to be part of the discourse shaping the future of urban mobility in Europe. Register now for Urban Mobility Days 2023 and be a catalyst for change. 

Legal Bases: Urban Mobility Courses Certificate Raffle

The promotion

The promoter of this raffle is EIT KIC Urban Mobility S.L.U, located at Av Diagonal 211, F24, (08018) Barcelona, Spain.

In order to promote its visibility on social networks and interaction with its audience, EIT KIC Urban Mobility S.L.U plans to conduct a raffle through a Cool Tabs application, which will be carried out in accordance with the following terms and conditions.

Participation in the raffle is free and open to all individuals over 18 years of age who are not employees of EIT KIC Urban Mobility S.L.U, its Innovation Hubs, their family members or analogue relationships, representatives, agents or have any relationship with the development of the raffle or the campaigns to promote them.

Participation implies the complete and absolute acceptance of these terms and the Privacy Policy. Individuals with the intention of harming or damaging the image of the raffle or EIT KIC Urban Mobility S.L.U will be automatically disqualified.

Instagram does not sponsor, endorse, or administer this promotion, nor is it associated with it. The user completely disassociates from Facebook and is aware that they are providing their information to EIT KIC Urban Mobility S.L.U and not to Instagram. The information provided will be used to manage participation in the raffle, notify the prize, and manage the delivery of the five certificates.

Raffle Dates

Participation will be active from 20:00 PM on 19 September 2023, until 11:59 PM on 26 September 2023.

Raffle Description

EIT KIC Urban Mobility S.L.U will post the information for the raffle on Instagram.com/Eiturbanmob to raffle the five certificates for one e-course from the EIT Urban Mobility Courses website (Urban Mobility Courses | Tools to Move Europe Forward). To participate and enter the raffle, users must follow/be followers of EIT KIC Urban Mobility S.L.U on Instagram, like the post and mention another user.

Multiple entries per person are accepted, meaning a single individual can participate in the raffle more than once. Winners will be randomly selected through the Cool Tabs application described above, and in the event of being unable to contact the winner within 10 days from the first contact attempt or if the winner renounces the prize, a new winner will be selected, with the previous winner forfeiting their right to claim the prize.

EIT KIC Urban Mobility S.L.U will contact the five winners through their Instagram profile to provide them with the instructions to claim their prize.

In addition to contacting them directly through the data provided when participating in the raffle, the name of the winner will be communicated through the Instagram profile of EIT KIC Urban Mobility S.L.U.

EIT KIC Urban Mobility S.L.U. is exempt from any responsibility, in case of any error in the data provided by the winners, which prevents their identification.

EIT KIC Urban Mobility S.L.U. reserves the right to declare the prizes void in the event that the winners do not meet the requirements mentioned in these terms, as well as in the event that the winner cannot be located within the established period.

Participation Conditions

To participate in the raffle and be eligible for the prize, the participant must meet the following requirements:

Participate in the raffle through a real and active Instagram profile, without anomalies, and that cannot be considered to have been created solely for the purpose of participating in the promotion. Therefore, only profiles with the following characteristics will be valid:

  • The user must have a profile picture.
  • The organizer reserves the right to disqualify contestant profiles. Special attention will be paid to fraudulent activities, and profiles that exhibit apparently abusive and malicious behaviour will be excluded or disqualified.
  • In the event of any indication of identity fraud or fraudulent use of the profile, EIT KIC Urban Mobility S.L.U.reserves the right to disqualify the participant immediately, unilaterally, and without the need for notification or justification to the participant.
  • Be a follower of the Instagram profile @eiturbanmob.
  • Like the giveaway post.
  • Comment by mentioning an Instagram user in each comment (you can mention multiple people multiple times)

Promotion Mechanics

To participate in the raffle, the user must like the raffle photo on the Instagram profile of @eiturbanmob, follow the accounts, and comment on it by mentioning another user. Winners will be determined using the Cool Tab application, meaning randomly and by chance.

A member of EIT KIC Urban Mobility S.L.U team will contact the winners via Instagram or by email or phone within a maximum of 20 business days after the prize has been assigned to provide the user with more information about how to obtain the prize.

Prize

The prize offered by EIT KIC Urban Mobility S.L.U consists of five certificates for one of the EIT Urban Mobility E-Courses offered on the following website: Urban Mobility Courses | Tools to Move Europe Forward

Winners have the autonomy to select an e-course of their choice regardless of whether they have done the course in the past, they are currently enrolled or they are going to start it in the future.   

Notification to the winners

Once the identities of the winners are known, EIT KIC Urban Mobility S.L.U will publish the names of the winners on the profile of EIT KIC Urban Mobility S.L.U on Instagram. By accepting these terms and conditions and the Privacy Policy, participants consent to the publication of their name (or Instagram identity) on Instagram.

Assignment of image rights and/or intellectual property of the winner

The winner agrees to have their username and public Instagram profile picture published on the organization’s profiles and other websites to announce the winner of the promotion.

The team of EIT KIC Urban Mobility S.L.U will contact the winner within a maximum of 10 business days to formally notify the prize and provide the user with more information about how to claim it. In this regard, EIT KIC Urban Mobility S.L.U reserves the right to request that the winner provide all personal data that is reasonably necessary to fulfill the prize. The winner’s refusal to provide this personal data, if it objectively prevents the winner from receiving the awarded prize, will result in the loss of the right to the prize, as described below:

If 10 calendar days have passed since the first notification by EIT KIC Urban Mobility S.L.U to the winners without any response from the winners, or if the winners refuse to provide any of the requested personal data (as specified in the previous paragraph), the winners will lose their right to receive the prize.

Likewise, the right to receive the prize will not be granted to a winner who does not meet the eligibility requirements stipulated in these terms and conditions.

The accuracy of all data provided by the participant is a necessary condition to access the prizes awarded in the promotion. EIT KIC Urban Mobility S.L.U is not responsible for the correct fulfilment of the prize in the event that the provided data is incorrect or incomplete. Any changes in the participant’s data must be notified to EIT KIC Urban Mobility S.L.U as soon as possible to ensure the correct fulfilment of the prize.

Taxation

EIT KIC Urban Mobility S.L.U will not be responsible for the tax repercussions that the acceptance of the prizes could have on the taxation of the winners who will be, in any case, on their behalf.

Data Protection

The information or personal data provided by the user will be treated in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Policy. EIT KIC Urban Mobility S.L.U guarantees the confidentiality of the data provided for participation in the raffle and its treatment in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and to the Organic Law 3/2018, of December 5, on the Protection of Personal Data. You can access all the information about how we treat your data in the Privacy Policy/or contact us through the address [*].

Claims

For any complaints or inquiries related to this promotion, you can contact us at the following email address: info@eiturbanmobility.eu, within two months following the date of its termination.

General

If any clause or part of a clause of these terms were or became null, illegal, or unenforceable, this clause or part of a clause will be deemed as not included in the terms, without affecting the validity, legality, or enforceability of the rest of the terms.

In case of non-compliance with any of the clauses of these terms, the participant will be automatically disqualified from the promotion and will no longer be eligible to receive the prize offered.

The promotion is organized and subject to the laws of Spain. These terms will be governed by Spanish law.

Any dispute and/or controversy that may arise from the interpretation and application of these terms and conditions or the requirements for participation in a certain promotional action, will be expressly submitted to the jurisdiction of the Courts and Tribunals of Barcelona, without prejudice to the jurisdiction that by law may correspond to the consumer.

EIT Urban Mobility Joins European Mobility Week 2023, Focusing on “Saving Energy” for Sustainable Urban Transport 

EIT Urban Mobility, an initiative of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, a body of the EU, announces its active participation in the upcoming European Mobility Week. This collaborative initiative by the European Commission brings together communities, cities, and organisations across Europe to drive the sustainable and inclusive transformation of urban transportation systems. With the urgent need to address climate change and expedite our journey towards “saving energy”, this week shines light on pressing topics. 

The European Green Deal, a cornerstone of Europe’s commitment to environmental sustainability, has set an ambitious target of achieving a 90% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector. To realise this ambitious goal, it is essential to reimagine urban mobility, making it more sustainable, inclusive, and seamlessly integrated. Cities are the frontrunners of the green transition, with the power to make transformative changes such as cycling infrastructure, reallocation of public space, low emission zones, and parking regulations. During the European Mobility week, it is almost 3,000 towns and cities encourage behavioural change in favour of active mobility, public transport, and other clean, intelligent transport solutions by organising awareness-raising activities and events with local stakeholders. 

Within its activity to find sustainability solutions in the transport sector, EIT Urban Mobility is developing its activity as an impact venture investor. EIT Urban mobility has joined up the third annual report from European Women in Venture Capital (VC) and is publishing a new report on the Gender diversity in European Venture Capital Firms. Despite the fact that funds with a higher representation of female managers exhibit higher returns, gender gaps are still an issue in European VC firms. A combined desk and research survey of 558 European VC firms and 104 European VC, showed that in 2023 only 16% of general partners (GPs) are women, compared to 15% in 2022. Other key results can be consulted.  

As part of the European Mobility Week, EIT Urban Mobility will actively participate in a series of initiatives

  • “Parking Day”: EIT Urban Mobility will organise and participate in various “Parking Day” events across Europe in cities including Barcelona, Spain; Siggiewi, Malta; Lisbon, Portugal, and Greece. A parking space is about 15m2 large. This makes it bigger than many children’s rooms. The organisation of a day to reclaim the parking space or a car-free day, allows to raise awareness on street use and space cars take in European cities.  
  • Events Across Europe: Join EIT Urban Mobility in various physical events across Europe, including the EIT Open Day in Norway, Urban Mobility Day at Slovakia Tech, and INVENTO MeetUp in Zagreb
  • New Mobility Congress: EIT Urban Mobility will play a pivotal role as a key partner at the New Mobility Congress 2023, taking place from September 26 to 28 at the EXPO Lodz space in Poland. This is the fourth edition of the largest conference in Poland and Central-Eastern Europe dedicated to the development of the sustainable transportation market. 
  • EIT Urban Mobility offers a range of online training courses to empower individuals and professionals to contribute to sustainable urban mobility solutions. 
    • EIT Urban Mobility Professional Training Catalogue (E-Courses): A range of e-courses are available online, free to complete (with certificates available at a nominal fee), covering various aspects of urban mobility. 
    • MASTERCOM Training Programme: Developed to prepare professionals of private and public companies to develop, manage, communicate, and implement effective travel plans, MASTERCOM provides up-to-date knowledge, expert guidance, best practices, and access to a practical ToolKit. 
    • Girls go Circular: project where 14–19-year-old girls are picking up digital and entrepreneurial skills. EIT Urban Mobility has coordinated the development of the module on “Sustainable Mobility for Circular and Inclusive Cities”, available for free at the Girls Go Circular platform. 20 000 girls will have completed the training by end of 2022. It is already available in 13 countries and now also available in Ukrainian. 
  • Urban Mobility Explained (UMX): Since September 2022, UMX has been providing educational videos on the latest topics in urban mobility, offering thought-provoking perspectives and key competencies required for the successful delivery of urban mobility solutions. A new video is published every Tuesday. 

Every year, from 16 – 22 September, the European Commission’s flagship awareness-raising campaign European Mobility Week on sustainable urban mobility invites towns and cities from across Europe, and beyond, to participate in the EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK. The annual theme for 2023 is ‘Save energy’. For more information about EIT Urban Mobility and its initiatives during the European Mobility Week, please visit EUROPEAN MOBILITY WEEK |  Home. 

Access Your Next Client City: Empowering Urban Mobility Innovators with TICER

We are thrilled to join forces with Green Brother, RMIT Europe, Szombathely City, and Frontira with the goal of improving urban mobility and enhance the quality of life for citizens. The world of urban mobility is on the cusp of a transformative revolution. Start-ups in this sector hold immense potential to shape the way we navigate our cities and embrace sustainable transportation options.

However, to fulfil their market potential, these start-ups face numerous challenges, including aligning innovations with city regulations and meeting the needs of citizens. That’s where TICER comes in – an innovative educational programme designed to empower start-ups and bridge the gap between entrepreneurial vision and real-world success.

The deadline for application is 31 August, 2023, on the website: https://www.ticer.city/#registration.  The programme will take place from September 2023 to November 2023. It will start with a kick-off event, followed by three online training modules as well as a pitching ceremony.

In the realm of urban mobility, the ultimate clients are the citizens themselves. We recognize the critical role cities play in shaping the needs and aspirations of their inhabitants. However, aligning innovative mobility solutions with both city regulations and citizen requirements is no easy feat. TICER steps in as the bridge that connects innovators with the needs and expectations of cities and citizens alike. The programme has 3 main moduls:

  • Entrepreneurial Training
  • Co-creation Workshop (UX)
  • City regulation Landscapes Workshop

Three Key Challenges and How TICER Addresses Them

Challenge 1 – Sustainable mobility as an alternative

How can we foster a culture of sustainable mobility in Szombathely so people become more inclined to embrace eco-friendly transportation options such as buses, bikes, scooters, or walking instead of using a car?

Challenge 2 – Demand-driven mobility design

How can we channel the needs of citizens and urban stakeholders into the mobility-related decision-making process of the city?

Challenge 3 – Data-driven synergies for mobility

As a municipality, how can we use existing and yet-unknown data to – directly and indirectly – encourage the public and economic sectors to improve traffic flow?

Who Can Apply?

TICER welcomes participation from a diverse array of entities, including University teams and Spin-offs, Start-ups, and SMEs from the EU and Horizon Europe Associated Countries, including the UK and Switzerland. Whether you are an established start-up or an emerging entrepreneur, TICER is your ticket to unlock new markets and expand your reach.

The benefits of participating in TICER are manifold:

  • Quick access to cities and markets
  • Expansion opportunities
  • Collaboration with city executives on local regulations
  • Access to invaluable city mobility data for market fit testing
  • Opportunity to pitch for budget allocation for piloting
  • Invitations to further EIT Urban Mobility programs for scaling
  • Enhanced entrepreneurial knowledge
  • Real-life market feedback and validation
  • Workshops with experts and clients to develop user experience and product market fit

Curious to learn more about TICER and how it can transform your start-up’s journey in the urban mobility space? Join our online info-sharing event on 17 August at 15:00 hours CET. During this event, you will receive comprehensive details about the TICER programme and have the chance to ask any questions you might have. Don’t miss this opportunity to shape the future of urban mobility!

To register for the event, click here

For any inquiries, feel free to contact us at ticer@greenbrother.hu or visit our website at ticer.city.

TICER is supported by EIT Urban Mobility in partnership with Green Brother, RMIT Europe, Szombathely, and Frontira.

Tomorrow.Mobility 2023 shifts global gears toward a sustainable urban transportation

November 7-9, 2023. www.tomorrowmobility.com

Multimodality, Inclusivity and Mobility Data among the key topics.

The third edition of Tomorrow.Mobility World Congress (TMWC), the international event promoting the design and adoption of new sustainable urban mobility schemes, will bring a new drive to the global mobility stage. Held in Barcelona from November 7-9 under the theme Make your Move Matter, TMWC will bring together the leading international experts, companies, and public institutions in the field.

Jointly organized by Fira Barcelona and EIT Urban Mobility, an initiative of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, a body of the European Union, the event will focus on eight key topics that are critical for the transformation of urban mobility: Mobility Data Spaces, Inclusivity, Affordability & Fairness, Connected, Cooperative & Automated Mobility, Sustainable Urban Logistics, Multimodality, Urban Air Mobility, Energy Transition, and Active Mobility. These themes will provide a comprehensive overview of the latest trends, technologies, and policies shaping the future of mobility.

Maria Tsavachidis, President of Tomorrow.Mobility World Congress and CEO of EIT Urban Mobility, said: “The upcoming edition of Tomorrow.Mobility will gather visionaries, dynamic start-ups, and industry leaders to shape the future of transportation. As cities strive for climate neutrality, Tomorrow.Mobility becomes more than an event; it’s a catalyst for change. With unwavering commitment, we drive smarter, cleaner, and connected solutions, propelling us towards a sustainable tomorrow”.

TMWC has also announced the first speakers who will take part in the conference program. The lineup includes Timothy Papandreou, CEO of Emerging Transport Advisors and former CIO of San Francisco MTA; Karima Delli, MEP and Chair of the Committee on Transport and Tourism at the European Parliament; Karen Vancluysen, Secretary General of the POLIS network; and Maria Tsavachidis, CEO of EIT Urban Mobility.

The event has also confirmed the participation of companies and institutions among which are AMB, B:SM, Deloitte, Equinsa, FGC, Flowbird, Funkwerk, Hayden, Moventia, RACC, Renfe, Sener, and TMB.

Innovation by land, sea and air

The event will be held alongside Smart City Expo World Congress, the leading tradeshow and congress on cities and smart urban solutions, that will include Tomorrow.Building, a forum focusing on the green and digital transition of buildings and urban infrastructures, and Tomorrow.BlueEconomy a new event dedicated the challenges and opportunities of coastal cities and the blue economy. Altogether, the events are expected to gather over 1,000 exhibitors, including companies, cities, governments and institutions, more than 600 international experts, and over 25,000 attendees.

Interested to attend or have you media partner up with the event? Contact: media@eiturbanmobility.eu

Shaping the Future of Innovation in Europe: EIT Urban Mobility joins the new Start For Future Cooperative

EIT Urban Mobility is delighted to join the Start For Future (SFF) Cooperative, recognising it as a significant milestone in fostering long-term collaboration and cooperation among European universities and innovation actors.

Our organisation proudly stands among the 18 prominent founding partners from the existing alliance, which consists of universities, incubators, research organizations, business entities and cities. The inaugural meeting held during the SFF Varna Summit on June 24, 2023, marked a momentous occasion as the Start For Future Cooperative officially became a unified legal entity, set to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of innovation in Europe. 

We believe that volume is required to achieve excellence. Volume is achieved with an inclusive and democratic model, where success benefits the entire network rather than just a select few. A scalable and democratic approach – such as the one taken by the Start for Future Cooperative- is essential for promoting an eco-centric rather than an ego-centric view. As already demonstrated by the organizations involved in SFF, potential for innovation and entrepreneurship is to be found and nurtured in every corner of Europe, leveraging European Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in combination with regional stakeholders.”

stated Martin Vendel, Academy Director of EIT KIC Urban Mobility. 

What is this cooperative about? 

Among the ambitious goals set forth by the cooperative: nurturing 1 million start-ups in Deep Tech, training and mentoring 2 million talents, involving 1,000 universities in Europe and globally, and fostering connections between 3,000 industry partners by 2035. By actively promoting collaboration and knowledge exchange between universities and innovation actors, the SFF Cooperative cultivates an environment that nurtures innovation and entrepreneurship, characterised by openness and democracy.

The cooperative’s unwavering focus on systemic innovation perfectly aligns with EIT Urban Mobility’s broader commitment to address societal challenges and enhance the well-being of European citizens.  

This alliance marks an inspiring new chapter in the European innovation and entrepreneurship landscape, where collaboration thrives, paving the way for a brighter and more prosperous future. 

Who are the founding members?

How did everything started?

In 2020, Start for Future (SFF) – a Pan-European student incubation programme – took its initial steps, fuelled by support and funding coming from the EIT´s HEI initiative and backed by Germany´s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). EIT Urban Mobility has been actively supporting the alliance’s development since then.  

Over the past few years, SFF has emerged as one of Europe’s most vibrant and rapidly expanding innovation alliances, bringing together academia, start-ups, industry, and public organizations. Now, it is embarking on its next phase, by formally establishing itself as a European Cooperative Society / Societas Cooperativa Europaea (SCE). With an ambitious vision to boost systemic innovation, the SFF Cooperative is poised to drive transformative advancements that will shape the future of innovation in Europe. 

Learn more about Start for Future here.

On 8 June, the world’s first commercial autonomous, electric passenger ferry will be launched in Stockholm.

Stockholm, Sweden, (8 June 2023) – On 8 June, the world’s first commercial autonomous, electric passenger ferry, Estelle, will be launched in Stockholm. The inauguration takes place on Norr Mälarstrand (Stuvaren 1), on 8 June starting at 1.30 pm.

EIT Urban Mobility, an initiative of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, a body of the EU, is grateful to earlier this year have been given the opportunity to support Zeabuz by investing to become a shareholder, and by that supporting this project. We see this as a big step of including waterborne mobility to the green urban mobility landscape. (READ Why we invested in Zeabuz? – Revitalizing Urban Waterways)

You are invited to attend the inauguration of the unique passenger ferry that will start operating in Ridderfjärden in central Stockholm this summer. It is equipped with advanced autonomy technology and will be operated autonomously in the future. There will be speeches and light refreshments at the event.

Programme:

13.30                  Coffee and mingle at the quayside

14.00                  Welcome by Stein André Herigstad-Olsen, CEO of Torghatten AS.

14.05                  Karin Wanngård inaugurates the ferry line

14.15                  Speech by Erik Dyrkoren, CEO Zeabuz

14.20                  Speech by Martin Wendel, Director EIT Urban Mobility

14.25                  Speech by Tor Øyvind, Brødrerne Aa

14.30                  Christening of MF Estelle, Alexandra Olsson, EQT

14.35                  Opportunity for individual media interviews and photo opportunities

REGISTER BY SENDING AN EMAIL TO INFO@ZEAM.SE NO LATER THAN 7 JUNE END OF DAY

BACKGROUND

More about Zeam

Zeam is the world’s first commercial autonomous and electrified passenger ferry. The ferry will start operating on 12 June. MF Estelle is in place in Riddarfjärden and is currently optimising energy consumption and driving patterns. Initially, the ferry will have fewer departures, but eventually it will run every 15 minutes, 15 hours a day. The website zeam.se is continuously updated with more information. A ticket will cost 35 SEK and be valid for one hour. For students and pensioners, the ticket costs 20 SEK.

MF Estelle is equipped with advanced autonomous technology developed at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim. Initially there will be an operator on board, but in the future the ferry will be completely self-driving and monitored from land.The Norwegian shipping company Torghatten is behind the initiative. The ferry was built at the Brødrerne Aa shipyard in Hyen, Norway, and the autonomous technology is provided by the company Zeabuz.

EIT Urban Mobility commitment with Portugal’s sustainable objectives.

Portugal has been making noteworthy progress in urban mobility in recent years. The country has set ambitious goals and objectives, driven by the motivation to reduce the environmental impact of transportation and create more sustainable cities. One of the primary objectives of Portugal’s urban mobility policies is to reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainable transportation. To achieve this, the country has set a target to have 40% of all urban trips made by walking, cycling, or public transport by 2030. This goal is part of Portugal’s National Energy and Climate Plan, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030.

The motivation behind Portugal’s push for sustainable urban mobility is to create more liveable and healthy cities for its residents. The country’s urban areas are among Europe’s most congested and polluted, significantly impacting public health. By promoting sustainable transportation, Portugal aims to reduce traffic congestion, improve air quality, and create more pleasant urban environments.

Portuguese cities are working towards achieving these objectives. Portugal’s capital city, Lisbon, has been working on making its transportation more sustainable for several years. The city has implemented a bike-sharing program, a car-sharing service, and an electric tram system. It has also invested in a network of bike lanes and pedestrian paths, which has helped increase cycling and walking in the city. Cities like Porto, Braga or Cascais has made significant investments in public transportation.

How is EIT Urban Mobility supporting Portugal’s objectives?

Since 2021, 39 projects have been implemented in the country to promote innovation and foster collaboration in urban mobility, two of which are particularly noteworthy: RAPTOR and #ChallengeMyCity.

Rapid Applications for Transport (RAPTOR) is a competition that swiftly creates and tests solutions to niche urban mobility challenges. Participants compete to provide the most innovative, feasible, and impactful solutions. The RAPTOR programme was implemented in 2022 in the city of Cascais with successful results, helping to solve three challenges identified by the city.  

#ChallengeMyCity is a programme enabling European cities to tackle their most pressing urban challenges by testing market-ready innovative mobility solutions.  Its objective is to test the best solutions through a six-month pilot and evaluates their social, economic, and environmental impact and estimate long-term integration into the city’s mobility strategy, to make mobility more sustainable and accessible for all.

The programme will be implemented in 2023 in Braga, which has just won the European Mobility Week 2022 prize for its remarkable activities in promoting sustainable mobility and continues to take steps towards improving its urban mobility ecosystem. Through #ChallengeMyCity programme, it is seeking innovative solutions to face four identified challenges. A total of 240.000 € will be invested in testing these solutions.  https://portocanal.sapo.pt/noticia/326280

But in addition to these two main programmes, other projects have been developed in the country thanks to our collaborative work, resulting in an investment of more than 1.5 million from EIT Urban Mobility since 2021. The city of Lisbon becomes one of the most illustrative examples, with more of 16 projects implemented. 

As Portugal continues to prioritize sustainable and innovative urban mobility solutions, programmes like RAPTOR and #ChallengeMyCity will continue to play a significant role in driving progress and promoting collaboration.

EIT Urban Mobility joins the launch of the 5th edition of the European Startup Prize for Mobility

EUSP – Pictures Opening Ceremony & Online press conference on 19th April

Paris, France, (20 April 2023) – This Wednesday, April 19, 2023, the 5th edition of the European Startup Prize for Mobility (EUSP) was launched at the Ministry in charge of Transport in the presence of Clément Beaune, Minister Delegate in charge of Transport, Karima Delli, Chairwomen of the transport and tourism commission at the European Parliament and President of the EUSP, EIT Urban mobility impact Venture’s Director Fredrik Hanell and  EIB Vice-President Lilyana Pavolva. This acceleration and investment program created by Karima Delli, Via ID and BCG, under the high patronage of the European Parliament, aims to support and develop smart and sustainable mobility startups in Europe. EIT Urban Mobility, as an initiative by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union, is proud to join this year’s edition as a full leading partner in the prize category “urban mobility”.

Each year, more than 500 startups from all European countries apply for the EUSP.

Co-founded in 2017 by Karima Delli, Via ID, an investment fund and accelerator of new mobility startups from Mobivia, and Boston Consulting Group, a strategy consulting firm, the European Startup Prize for Mobility aims to bring out the future leaders of tomorrow’s sustainable mobility through an unprecedented acceleration and investment program in Europe. Applications will close on June 20.

Karima Delli, “At a time of climate emergency that has just been confirmed by the latest IPCC report, innovation must more than ever be a virtuous catalyst for more sustainable mobility. The challenge for Europe is to preserve its leadership in innovation by supporting its fabric of start-ups. This is the whole role of the European Startup Prize for Mobility, founded five years ago, and which has established itself as an unmissable event in the news of the sustainable mobility ecosystem and which brings together a community every year increasingly important, and ever more committed institutions.”

This fifth edition, the result of an unprecedented public-private initiative, brings together 16 exceptional partners: EIT Urban Mobility, RATP Group, Crédit Agricole Auto Bank, European Climate Foundation, Mobilians, Groupe ADP, Europcar, Volta Trucks, GRDF, European Clean Trucking Alliance, Voies Navigables de France, Europe’s rail, Die Autobahn, Roland Berger and Shift4Good. All participants also have the possibility to apply for the 13 Special Prizes, including an Urban Mobility category, sponsored by the partners, to be recognized as the best in their category and to benefit from the advantages offered by the partners.

Fredrik Hanell: “EIT Urban Mobility has since it began operations in 2020 invested in 80 start-ups and supported more than 250 start-ups. Apart from impact we emphasize on gender-balanced teams, and last year half of our invested startups had a woman leader. With this prize, we expect to boost our exposure to new innovative start-ups in the rich European transport ecosystem leveraging next generation urban mobility structures. The Urban Mobility Prize category will be given to the best start-up that demonstrates positive social and environmental impact and significant potential to make our cities more liveable.

EIT Urban Mobility’s offering to the EU Prize startups:

  • Funding opportunities – up to €500,000 financial support
  • Post-investment tailored support by our Investment and Portfolio Managers, in collaboration with top-notch ecosystem agents from the leading European startup hubs.
  • Become part of the European mobility community, offering unique growth opportunities to mobility startups via our Growth Lab digital platform.
  • Mobility focused acceleration programmes – get support for your early growth and introduce your solutions to the market.
  • Piloting opportunities with leading European cities and access to the biggest network of 300+ urban mobility players.

For the finalists – the above, plus:

Each one of the finalists will receive a free ticket to our annual flagship event Tomorrow.Mobility in Barcelona – the leading mobility event in Europe, hosting thousands of public and private sector players and a wide and diverse offline and online audience.

  • Urban Mobility finalist – Free Congress Pass (last year was €1000+ worth)
  • 10 finalists – Expo Pass
  • Both UM finalist and 10 finalists will be personally invited to EITUM’s TM networking and drinks event which will be held during the exhibition.

Candidates must submit their application on the application platform before June 20th. www.startupprize.eu

The award ceremony will take place at the European Parliament in Brussels on October 25, 2024.

About the European Startup Prize for Mobility

The European Startup Prize for mobility (EUSP) is an EU-founded acceleration and investment Program for sustainable mobility start-ups. It was created in 2017 by Karima Delli, Chairwoman of the European Parliament’s Committee on Transport and Tourism, Boston Consulting Group and Via ID. EUSP now brings together all major EU institutions, including the European Parliament, European Commission, European Investment Bank, EIT Urban Mobility, Europe’s Rail as well as major mobility corporations and tech giants. As a public-private initiative, EUSP aims to support and scale up smart and sustainable mobility start-ups all across Europe. Each year, +500 start-ups apply to its Acceleration and Investment programme. The EUSP provides them with multiple investment opportunities as a “one-stop-shop” to EU funds (European Commission, European Investment Bank, EIT InnoEnergy) and private investors (Demo Day). In addition, the best start-ups benefit each year from a tailor-made mentoring from BCG, connections to EU organizations and visibility in front of EU decision makers.
www.startupprize.eu  @eustartuprize

EIT Urban Mobility aims to raise awareness of female perspectives in the urban mobility sector.

Women use public transport more widely and frequently than men, yet, accessibility and safety concerns may deter them from using it. This gender gap is reflected in all type of mobility scheme from walking to cycling and employment in the transport industry. EIT Urban Mobility, an initiative of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union, aware of these challenges is working on a series of innovation and investing in technology to unlock the potential of women’s empowerment in urban mobility.

The the project “Inclusify”, led by AMB Barcelona and supported by EIT Urban Mobility, investigated the challenges and key issues faced by women when walking and using public transport. To this end, an extensive review of empowerment strategies and needs was conducted with the support of the foundation Walk21. A deeper dive into the perceived quality of public transport shows that the European average value score is 6.6 on a scale of 1-10 (mean score, 18+ population). The gender gap was most pronounced in 5 countries with male perceptions of quality greater than women’s in Poland, Czech Republic and Sweden and women’s perceptions of quality significantly lower in France and Cyprus.

The study showcases that transportation systems in many places in Europe are shaped by male-dominated commuting patterns. Women walk and use public transport more and often spend longer time traveling than men. They are more likely to be caregivers, to have physically limited mobility and to have economic opportunities reduced by the limits of the mobility system too. In several cities, technology is being used to engage women to locate where they are experiencing inequity, as in general, most current systems focus on providing an opportunity for women to report incidences of safety and security.

Gender gap in the mobility sector

The transport labour force remains heavily male-dominated, with only 22% of transport employees in the European Union are female. At the same time, women are currently underrepresented both in deep-tech entrepreneurship and venture investment.

With the Supernovas programme, EIT Urban Mobility, along with EIT Manufacturing and EIT food, gives women chances in the early stages of their career to access roles in both the entrepreneurial and investment side of the ecosystem. Investors get the opportunity to access a pool of promising women that will add diversity to their investment teams.  This is why EIT Urban Mobility looks to invest in female-led ventures for its equity portfolio, about 30% and aim to increase in the future. Advancements in digital technology offer immense opportunities to address development of new mobility schemes.

Meet our spokespeople:

  • Julienne Chen, EIT Urban Mobility Citizen engagement expert, expert in the project Inclusify
  • Fredrik Hånell, Impact Ventures Director, EIT Urban Mobility speaks English, Swedish and French

Start-ups from EIT Urban Mobility Portfolio’s

  • Lelia König from Dashfactory, speaks German and English. Dashfactory GmbH is one of the most promising European mobility start-ups, combining innovative technology, safety and mobility – especially cycling. With Dashfactory’s Dashbike, the safety of cyclists is improved as well as automated (cycling) traffic data collection. Dashfactory’s unique data platform Dashtrack digitalises cycling traffic and infrastructure planning through anonymised sensor data analysis.
  • Bibi Blomqvist from Cogo speaks English and Danish. Cogo is an app gathering all shared scooters, bikes, cars and moped as long as they are human or electric powered, making it easy and seamless to move around cities the green way.

BACKGROUND