Search
Close this search box.

Mobility Startup Nexus: the strength of an ecosystem

People gather at Mobility Startup Nexus

On 4 November, EIT Urban Mobility held the inaugural Mobility Startup Nexus, an event focused on connecting impact-driven mobility startups with the most relevant stakeholders in the EIT Urban Mobility ecosystem. As such, startups, investors, corporates and partners from all over Europe gathered at Norrsken House in Barcelona for an evening of networking and storytelling. Acting as the pretext for the week of Tomorrow.Mobility, the goal of the Mobility Startup Nexus was to create a setting where stakeholders could engage and make connections accompanied by dinner, drinks and music. 

The evening began with presentations centred not on successes but on failures. Facilitated by the Failures Institute, this unique approach emphasises the importance of knowledge sharing, fostering a culture that celebrates trying rather than stigmatising failure—an important asset in the entrepreneurial world. Now a movement with active chapters in more than 300 cities in 90 countries, this form of knowledge sharing has become a mechanism to help understand, learn and hopefully overcome future failures.  

Fredrik Hånell, Director of Impact Ventures at EIT Urban Mobility, commented on the central idea behind the Mobility Startup Nexus: “EIT Urban Mobility is organising this event to give the opportunity to our startups to meet, to exchange experiences, to mingle with investors, to mingle with EIT Urban Mobility staff and hopefully create some new connections which will be valuable for them going forward.” 

The intimate and private setting of Norskenn was perfect for the 100+ attendees. With startups specialising in areas like active mobility, future mobility, electrification, and smart infrastructure connecting with investors and partners, the event highlighted the value of EIT Urban Mobility’s wide-reaching network.

Mina Kolagar, Co-founder & Innovation Manager at PANTOhealth, a company that provides solutions for the monitoring and predictive maintenance of essential rail components, attests to the benefit of such a highly focused evening: “The event provided a unique platform to meet diverse participants and explore synergies in a friendly and open environment. It was a great opportunity to connect with others in the mobility sector and have meaningful discussions with people from universities, startups, well established companies and even independent consultants that I might not have had the chance of meeting them otherwise”.

You can see more photos from the event here!

Strengthening the network

What sets EIT Urban Mobility apart is its ability to leverage a pan-European network to create events like this. Although this is the first edition, the Mobility Startup Nexus will continue to grow and evolve to provide a network for mobility startups over the coming years.  

With a networked approach to Venture Capital, EIT Urban Mobility supports its portfolio companies through strategic alliances. These partnerships address key challenges such as fundraising, market access, knowledge sharing, and networking, helping startups unlock their full potential.

Beyond flagship events like the Mobility Startup Nexus, EIT Urban Mobility regularly offers a range of in-person and online opportunities. These include networking evenings, knowledge-sharing sessions, and informative events highlighting available support for startups.

For startups eager to become part of this vibrant community, the Startups Growth Lab is an essential resource. This platform offers free and premium options, centralising opportunities, events, and resources for over 900 members of the mobility startup community. Regular webinars, info sessions, and networking opportunities make it an invaluable tool for growth. Don’t miss the opportunity!

RELATED NEWS