EIT Urban Mobility, an initiative of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the EU, is proud to announce its partnership with the city of Heraklion and Civinet Greece-Cyprus, the network of Greek cities for mobility, to address urban mobility challenges.

This collaboration will bring a total of 13 innovative bike stations throughout the city at the end of November. An event to showcase the new biking facilities will take place Sunday 3 December at 11.00 a.m., at Georgiadis Park. Join the event: National innovation for cycling in Heraklion.

In the wake of the European Union’s recent Declaration on Cycling, announced just a few weeks ago as a major push for cycling across Europe, our partnership with the city of Heraklion takes on even greater significance. Heraklion is one of the leading Greek cities when it comes to the pedestrianization of the city centre, which in recent years has encouraged more pedestrian and bicycle travel. The city centre is a circle of approximately 350m radius and mostly pedestrianized. For this reason, the city believes it could encourage more commuters to use their bike or kick scooter instead of their private car when accessing to the city centre.

Exploring solutions, Heraklion is embarking on a strategic initiative to establish micro-mobility hubs throughout the city. As the largest city in Crete and the fourth-largest in Greece, with a population of around 174,000 residents (surging to nearly 1 million during the summer), Heraklion is dedicated to providing its citizens and visitors with safe, convenient locations to park their bicycles and e-bikes after their journeys.

At its core, this project aims to elevate active mobility, with a particular focus on micro-mobility and bike-mobility. The objective is to deploy secure and sustainable infrastructure for bike and kickscooter parking at strategically selected points throughout the city. These hubs, featuring a flexible modular design accommodating 4 to 10 bicycles and e-bikes, cater to both spontaneous parking and charging requirements for registered users. These infrastructure enhancements are envisioned to enhance the overall quality of life for Heraklion’s residents, contribute meaningfully to climate change mitigation efforts, and foster a more robust and dependable urban mobility sector. Two innovative solution providers have been selected for funding in this project:

• Rastel.io will deliver 10 units to be installed outside of the old town. These smart and secure bike parking hubs come equipped with e-bike charging capabilities and can be accessed through the Rastel.io mobile app.
• DonCicleto will provide 3 units to be installed in the old town. The Bikehangar, their modular and scalable bike and scooter parking solution, offers protection against vandalism, inclement weather, and theft.

Installation of these units is taking place during the month of November, with the facilities set to be operational by the end of November.

Safe bike parking facilities will encourage more cyclists to use e-bikes, which is expected to increase the number of cyclists for long peri-urban distance trips and trips to uphill destinations. This pilot implementation is funded for a period of six months. The success of these pilot installations will be evaluated at the end of the six-month period to gauge their effectiveness and assess the potential benefits of a long-term implementation of the tested solutions.

Vassilis Lambrinos, Mayor of Heraklion said: “We are participating in this initiative with the aim to encourage more people to choose the bicycle as a means of transportation. The promotion of Sustainable Mobility is always a policy priority for us.”

Gareth Macnaughton, Director of the Innovation at EIT Urban Mobility said: “EIT Urban Mobility is thrilled to collaborate with the city of Heraklion to tackle urban mobility challenges. We are proud to work with innovative solution providers Rastel.io and DonCicleto, whose leading solutions focus attention on Heraklion. These pilot installations will pave the way for a more sustainable and efficient urban mobility future in Heraklion.”

Maria-Paula Caycedo, Head of Innovation for Hub South: “Collaborating with Heraklion to implement the project will lead to many benefits. The programme allows a pilot fostering innovation and support the sustainable urban development of the city. EIT Urban Mobility is working in collaboration with cities like Heraklion to further foster Greece and Europe’s dynamic mobility development landscape.”

EIT Urban Mobility, an initiative by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, a body of the EU, has awarded Zeabuz, a pioneering start-up from Trondheim, Norway, the prestigious Special Category Prize on Urban Mobility for their exceptional contribution to the future of sustainable transportation during the fifth edition of the European Start-up Prize for Mobility (EUSP).

The award was presented at a prestigious event, within the European Parliament, that featured a high-level panel, including notable industry leaders such as Kris Peeters, Vice President of the European Investment Bank, Thierry Breton, European Commissioner for Internal Market, Clément Beaune, Minister Delegate for Transport of France, Thierry Guimbaud, General Director of VNF, Maria Tsavachidis, CEO of EIT Urban Mobility, and Giorgio Travaini, Executive Director ad interim at Europe’s Rail. The event centered around the critical theme of “The Road towards a European Start-up Continent.'” (See the online streaming of the event)

Zeabuz, initially a spin-off from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), has created a name for itself by championing scalable and efficient autonomous inland waterway transport, exemplifying their commitment to pioneering ground-breaking solutions in the field of urban mobility. The company’s mission to tap into the largely unexplored market for inland waterway transport has garnered significant attention from both national and international investors, validating the reality of their vision. Zeabuz’s pioneering work in developing the world’s first commercial autonomous urban passenger ferry, named Zeam, has demonstrated the potential for significant environmental impact by reducing traffic congestion, emissions, and noise pollution. The company’s commitment to sustainable solutions through the use of electric and solar-powered ferries is a testament to their dedication to a cleaner and greener urban transportation landscape.

Speaking at the event, Maria Tsavachidis, CEO of EIT Urban Mobility emphasized the significance of Zeabuz’s approach in not just providing solutions but also reframing the challenges within the urban mobility space. The organisation highlighted the critical need for innovative solutions to enhance transportation sustainability and efficiency in Europe and globally. Zeabuz’s remarkable strides in revolutionising waterborne mobility have positioned them as a catalyst for change within the industry.

On top of this, EIT Urban Mobility is proud to announce that a start-up from its portfolio, Nudgd, has won the award of Female Entrepreneur of the year. Nudgd is a SaaS Platform using behavioural science to establish climate friendly habits by switching from cars to active mobility and public transportation. CEO and Founder of Nudgd, Katharina Paoli Brunat, the awardee, is a Swedish entrepreneur with a passion for sustainable business and sustainable lifestyle. Katharina is well experienced in implementing nudging and behavioural impact projects for both municipal authorities and companies. She will be a speaker at the upcoming Tomorrow Mobility World Congress, an event co-organised by EIT Urban Mobility and Fira de Barcelona, on the 7-9 of November in Barcelona.

In anticipation of the agile innovation calls for 2024, we look back at the success in 2023.

2024 agile innovation programmes

In 2024, EIT Urban Mobility expects to fund 12 SME led projects stemming from the Small Call, expected to launch toward the end of November. Register now for the Small Call information session.

It is also planned to award 15 projects between start-ups and cities from City RAPTOR Competition. The Expression of Interest for cities across Europe is currently open to those looking for innovative solutions to a pressing urban mobility challenge. Make sure to express your interest via: raptorproject.eu

2023 agile innovation pilots

Out of 272 applications, 27 promising start-ups and SMEs from 17 European countries were selected to participate in the three agile innovation programmes offered by EIT Urban Mobility in 2023. The high number of applications provides evidence of the strength of entrepreneurship and innovation in the urban mobility and transport sectors.

EIT Urban Mobility’s agile innovation programmes provide the selected start-ups and SMEs with the structure and support to pilot their solutions in a real-life environment with a city/municipality or end client. The programmes support the acceleration of innovation through rapid piloting and development, allowing cities and end-clients the opportunity to test before investing in state-of-the-art innovations.

“The race to achieve 2030 net-zero targets across Europe is intensifying. EIT Urban Mobility is on a mission to facilitate this shift to more sustainable urban mobility. To support achievement of these targets, our agile innovation programmes allow us to fund more small projects, helping to mitigate the risk inherent in innovation. Through our agile innovation programmes, which run for between 5-8 months, we provide crucial support to start-ups and SMEs to pilot their close-to-market solutions in real-life environments. Participation in these programmes provides a pathway to wider co-operation with the EIT Urban Mobility ecosystem and helps start-ups and SMEs to overcome some barriers to procurement.“

Gareth Macnaughton, Director of Innovation

Small Call for SMEs 2023

The Innovation Small Call contributes to the EIT Urban Mobility’s societal impact goal of job creation and strengthening the European urban mobility sector. The Small Calls offer a pathway for SMEs to expand and grow.

The call supports SMEs enter business and commercial relations with businesses, transport providers, cities, and city authorities that have heavy procurement and compliance requirements. Often these complex rules base excludes SMEs, de facto, from entering the market and driving faster innovation and better solutions.

The Small Call supports SMEs in developing a new, or significantly improved, product/service/solution for expansion into a new industry sector or new geographic market. It provides SMEs with an opportunity to do full usage testing with a live end-client within the project timeline. 

• Karos Mobility (FR) with Municipality of Vitoria-Gasteiz (ES)
• Bout (FI) with the Harbour Community of Paris (FR)
• ProperGate (PL) with Stefanco (PL)
• Dreamwaves (AT) with Wienier Linien (AT)
• Social Tech Projects (DK) with Celis Consult (DK)
• Luna Systems (IE) with Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (TK)
• AD Knight (IL) with Sernis (PT)
• SimpleCharge SIA (LV) with Selectum Home (LV)
• SWITCH (IT) with ESCO (IT)
• Parkunload (ES) with Municipality of Torrelavega (ES)
• VOOVOO (LV) with Ox Drive (LV)

For questions or queries, please contact Taylor Sawyer at taylor.sawyer@eiturbanmobility.eu

City RAPTOR 2023

Rapid Applications for Transport (RAPTOR) is a competition that swiftly creates and tests solutions to niche urban mobility challenges for businesses and cities across Europe. Start-ups and SMEs compete to provide the most innovative, feasible, and impactful solutions.

In 2023, the selected 12 start-ups and SMEs will test their innovative solutions via in-situ demonstrations with the associated city partner.

• Asistobe (NW) with DKV, Debrecen Public Transport (HU)
• Chargeprice (FR) with Capital Region of Denmark (DK)
• Everimpact (FR) with the City of Mechelen (BE)
• Hergele (TK) with EGO, Ankara Public Transport (TK)
• Instant System (FR) with the City of Akureyri (IS)
• Kentyou (FR) with Metropolitan Area of Barcelona (ES)
• Kobla (NW) with The Hague (NL)
• LOKIT (IT) with the Stuttgart Region (DE)
• Meep (ES) with the City of Ajka (HU)
• Nudgd (SE) with the City of Helsingborg (SE)
• Rastel.io (RO) with the City of Dubnica nad Váhom (SK)
• Transcality (CH) with SWM Stadtwerke München (DE)

To learn more please visit: https://raptorproject.eu/ or contact us at raptor@eiturbanmobility.eu

#ChallengeMyCity 2023

#ChallengeMyCity is a service for European cities to test innovative mobility solutions that target their needs and can be integrated into their long-term mobility strategy. The 2023 call for proposals for the cities of Braga in Portugal and Heraklion in Greece. In each city, urban mobility challenges are addressed via the testing of awarded innovative mobility solutions.

• Braga (PT) with Nommon (ES), Parkunload (ES) and Telraam (BE)
• Heraklion (GK) with Don Cicleto (ES) and Rastel.io (RO)

The EIT Community New European Bauhaus (NEB) has announced a new call for its pioneering Catalyse programme. The call, which has been launched by EIT Climate-KIC, EIT Food, EIT Manufacturing, and EIT Urban Mobility is looking for start-ups that view social innovation as the key to delivering systems change and new ways of living together. This year will be the programme’s largest ever cohort with 28 spots available for successful start-ups. 

European start-ups or scale-ups driving change in the areas of climate, cities, transport, industry and food are encouraged to apply. 

The winning 28 applicants will receive support services worth a total of €50,000. Within this, they will benefit from unique NEB-specific training, in addition to leadership coaching, business mentoring and access to one of the most prominent innovation communities in Europe.

Applicants must demonstrate the social and economic impact of their innovation and how it embodies the three core principles of the NEB: 

• Sustainability – achieving climate goals through circularity and biodiversity 
• Aesthetics – emphasising quality of experience and design beyond functionality
• Inclusion – championing diversity, securing accessibility and improving affordability 

The New European Bauhaus

Initially announced by President Von der Leyen in her State of the Union address and launched by the European Commission in early 2021, the NEB is best understood as a practical application of the European Green Deal, which aims to improve the health, wellbeing and daily lives of both citizens and future generations.

The EIT Community is ideally placed to support the implementation of the NEB as it has created Europe’s largest innovation ecosystem with over 2,000 partners (business, research, education, cities) cooperating in over 60 hubs across Europe. 

By engaging with European innovators and civil society at large, the community is promoting business through start-up creation and growth, as well as contributing to citizen education and engagement. 

Join the New European Bauhaus Catalyse programme and help shape a more sustainable, beautiful and inclusive future for Europe.  

Click here to learn more about the programme and find out how to apply.

Applications are open until 4 December 2023.

Calling all start-ups and investors in the Mobility and Energy sectors! Supernovas WIN (Women Investment Network) is thrilled to announce its third Investment Forum, exclusively dedicated to female-led start-ups. This is your opportunity to be part of a game-changing event, where innovation and technology for urban mobility and energy take centre stage. 

Why should you get involved? In Europe, the presence of women in venture investment is still far too low, resulting in a lack of funding for start-ups led by female or mixed-gender teams. In EIT Urban Mobility, we’re on a mission to change this narrative, and you can be a part of the solution. WIN, a vital component of Supernovas, an EIT programme promoting female entrepreneurship, aims to increase female representation among both entrepreneurs and investors in the ecosystem. 

The Supernovas WIN Investment Forum will connect specialised investors with carefully curated female-led start-ups. We’re looking for innovators in active mobility, city logistics, urban air mobility, waterway transportation, connected & autonomous vehicles, sensors & training data, public realm for mobility, energy infrastructure, sustainable buildings and cities, energy and mobility products for circular economy, energy storage, energy efficiency, renewable energies, and smart electric grids. 

Mark your calendars! The forum will take place online on 22 November, offering a prime opportunity to network, collaborate, and drive innovation forward. 

• Start-ups, don’t miss your chance to shine. The call for female-founded and/or led start-ups in the Mobility and Energy sectors is open until 20 October on the Supernovas selection platform. Secure your spot and showcase your game-changing ideas to potential investors. 

• Investors, whether you’re from venture capital funds, corporate funds, business angels, or any other investor type, this event is tailored to your interests. Register now on the WIN forum page to discover the most promising investment opportunities in Mobility and Energy. 

Supernovas WIN goes beyond just forums; we offer customized training for female investors, catering to both venture capital and business angel investors, whether you’re a beginner or experienced. Stay tuned for details on dates, deadlines, and the registration process on the Supernovas WIN website (bottom section Supernovas Investment Forums).

Together, we can make a real impact on the female representation in the entrepreneurial and investment ecosystem. Register at the Supernovas WIN Investment Forum and be a part of the change.  

The EIT Urban Mobility start-up DIGAS, a global trailblazer in instant decarbonisation solutions for the railway sector; and Iarnród Éireann Irish Rail, operator of the national railway network of Ireland, have signed a contract to retrofit a freight diesel locomotive from diesel fuel to hydrogen as a proof of concept. The purpose of the €1.5m project is to help decarbonise the operations of Iarnród Éireann diesel locomotives and increase the competitiveness of the company.

Petro Dumenko, CEO & Co-founder of DIGAS: “We see the same challenge over and over again with all railway operators – the need to decarbonise their operations but having an extremely long lifecycle of their assets which still runs on diesel fuel. This project will showcase a cost-effective and practical way for operators like Iarnród Éireann to decarbonise their existing fleet of diesel locomotives”. 

Summarized, this is a cleaner, cheaper, and more practical initiative towards decarbonisation goals:

• CLEANER: Iarnród Éireann Irish Rail is providing a locomotive and will test a retrofitted hydrogen locomotive using a cleaner-burning renewable fuel 
• CHEAPER: DIGAS will provide a cost-effective way to introduce hydrogen in the fleet of existing diesel locomotives by retrofitting diesel locomotives with a specialised internal combustion engine (ICE) hydrogen system
• PRACTICAL: The collaboration will demonstrate a practical path towards complete decarbonisation of the diesel locomotive fleet

Unlike other hydrogen projects in the rail sector where hydrogen is used to run locomotives via fuel cells or through specially produced hydrogen engines, this project will showcase a unique approach where hydrogen will be used in the locomotive’s current internal combustion engine. This innovative technology requires minimal change to be done to the locomotive. If successful, the project will showcase a more practical and cost-effective way to decarbonise and run the existing diesel locomotive fleet with hydrogen-powered engines.

Based on the agreement, Iarnród Éireann will provide the 071 Class Diesel Locomotive for the conversion as well as make the workshop available for the installation, testing and commissioning activities. DIGAS will manufacture, deliver and install a Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine (H2 ICE) retrofit kit to convert the diesel locomotive to a hydrogen-powered locomotive. The conversion will allow the locomotive to run on renewable, emissions-free fuel instead of diesel fuel. As part of the agreement, the two companies will share technical and commercial information necessary for DIGAS to design, manufacture, install, and support the commissioning of the Hydrogen conversion kit and allow Iarnród Éireann to properly test a retrofitted locomotive.

The project is currently in the design process and scheduled for two testing phases across 2024 and 2025. Phase 1 will focus on static testing of the locomotion to check power and emissions output. Phase 2 will follow in 2025 and focus on service trials of the locomotion out on the rails. All designs and testing standards are subject to approval from the Commission for Railway Regulation (CRR).

The project is funded by Iarnród Éireann and DIGAS, and co-funded by EIT Urban Mobility, and Mechanical Engineering Competence Center, a Latvian body receiving funding from the European Recovery and Resilience Facility.

Supernovas, the leading women entrepreneurship support programme of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union, and in which EIT Urban Mobility is part, is pleased to announce the exceptional 10 start-ups selected for its highly anticipated Rocket Up programme in 2023.

Addressing the unique challenges faced by women-led start-ups, the 15-week comprehensive programme offers tailored support from mentors with expertise in market expansion and strategy development, individualised guidance from industry experts, and valuable introductions to stakeholders.

Celeste Reglá, Rocket Up Programme Officer at EIT Urban Mobility: “For European start-ups, international expansion is vital due to the continent’s diverse countries. Yet, expanding internationally is not so easy, as it requires consideration of various regulations, languages, and cultures. Specially for women-led ventures, which are often held back by additional barriers. With the programme, start-ups will define a successful expansion strategy. The start-ups selected have showed a strong team, remarkable product innovation with a focus on sustainability, and the potential for international expansion.”

The selected 4 mobility start-ups for the Rocket Up programme are as follows: 

• Gaya Bike (France): French smart-electric bikes brand, dedicated to make urban families life brighter. 
• ProperGate (Poland): Smart logistics platform for construction sites, streamlining operations, optimizing resources, and driving sustainability.
• BitaGreen (Belgium): For healthier and happier cities, BitaGreen helps risk managers identify best locations for investment in climate-proof urban nature
• GoJauntly (UK): Free, award-winning, community-based app which promotes walking for leisure, active travel and nature connection.

The other selected start-ups of the programme are Ani Biome, Fermata, Corbiota, SCALED, Li-tech, Resourcly.

Last year’s edition of the Rocket Up programme was a resounding success, with all start-ups devising strategies to go abroad. Despite the financial crisis, at least 70% established fruitful relationships in their target markets and many successfully raised new financial rounds due to their international expansion efforts. Most start-ups maintained their collaboration with the EIT by becoming equity portfolio companies or participating in follow-on programmes, further fuelling their growth and impact on the innovation ecosystem.

A recent Supernovas studies identified that more than 600 European scale-ups are founded by women, representing around 8% of scale-ups in Europe.  Women-led start-ups face unique challenges, including limited access to funding and networks compared to their counterparts. Recognising these challenges, the Rocket Up programme offers a comprehensive 15-week initiative tailored to provide a roadmap for success. All the start-ups participating in Rocket Up are committed to the goals of EIT Urban Mobility, EIT Food, or EIT Manufacturing.

Participants will engage in insightful group sessions with mentors possessing exceptional expertise in market expansion and strategy development. Additionally, each start-up will receive personalised support from hand-picked business and industry experts and gain in-person introductions to potential stakeholders. This holistic approach will empower the participants to expand internationally with a structured and validated entry strategy. Furthermore, the Rocket Up programme provides access to the extensive resources of the EIT Community and facilitates the creation of a female-founders network.

BACKGROUND

About Supernovas Supernovas, an EIT Community initiative, focuses on improving gender balance in entrepreneurship and innovation. The programme works with start-ups founded by women who want to promote their arrival in new markets and boost their sales (Rocket Up) or seeks to train and incorporate women with high scientific and technological knowledge in venture capital funds and continue to support their professional growth (Women 2 Invest), among others. A new feature this year is its Investment Forums, where investors seeking to increase the presence of start-ups led by women in their investment portfolios will find start-ups looking for funding and with a women or mixed entrepreneurial team at the helm.

EIT Urban Mobility, an initiative of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, a body of the European Union, welcomes 86 new start-ups joining the fourth edition of its accelerators’ programmes across Europe.  

EU, 7 July 2023. As the urban mobility sector continues to experience rapid growth, EIT Urban Mobility’s Accelerators and Scale-up Programmes, implemented through strategic partnerships with over 30 organisations throughout Europe, have emerged as a catalyst for start-ups support and growth within urban mobility verticals. By offering a comprehensive range of services over a six-month period, including mentoring, living lab testing of solutions, matchmaking with cities and industry, and participation in key events, the Programmes provide unique curriculums and opportunities to the most innovative and impact driven start-ups. 

A total of 470 applications were received from which 86 promising start-ups were selected, resulting in an 18% success rate for applicants. The high number of applications highlights the rapid growth and immense potential of the urban mobility and transport sector. For the 2023 cohorts 21 European countries are represented in the start-ups selected. Among the selected ventures in the 2023 promotion, over 30% are led by female CEOs or founders, in line with EIT Urban Mobility’s dedication to narrowing the start-up gender gap and fostering an inclusive ecosystem. The last edition of the accelerator programme has seen more than 74 start-ups participate in it. 

The below 7 start-ups highlighted will be part of the programmes to continue their expansion: 

• Nemi Mobility Solutions (Spain): Nemi enables the feasibility of public transport in low-density areas through its software solution, facilitating flexible bus services. 
• Ridergy (Germany): RiDERgy leverages cutting-edge algorithms to develop software that generates optimal charging schedules for businesses, maximizing efficiency. 
• Luna Systems (Ireland): Luna addresses challenges in micromobility growth and scale by offering smart camera technology that enables operators and cities to proactively reduce sidewalk riding, collisions, and disorderly parking in real time. 
• Walking talking (Sweden): Walking talking has developed a community app that connects individuals, promotes motivation, and supports meaningful conversations during walks. The app’s sustainable business model encourages healthy habits both within and outside of the workday. 
• Vivadrive (Poland): Vivadrive is an AI-driven solution for sustainable and cost-effective fleet management. Their focus spans both petrol-based and electric vehicle fleets, streamlining the transition to EVs and improving safety and efficiency. VivaDrive’s solution enables significant savings per vehicle and contributes to a more sustainable urban mobility landscape. 
• Revoltz (Israel): Revoltz designs and commercializes mini-electric vehicles with the benefits of traditional models but at a fraction of environmental and operational costs. Their first product, the Portto, is a compact electric three-wheeled light scooter with a spacious loading deck. 
• Lumen (Romania): Lumen builds glasses that help the blind live a better life. The .lumen glasses understands the environment, objects, their position and movement in 3D, compute interaction paths to wanted objects or generally, based on context and transmits the information to the blind using haptic and auditory impulses. 

Raül Feliu, Impact Ventures Programmes Manager: “The European transport sector has undergone significant changes driven by technology and a global shift toward sustainable and accessible choices. EIT Urban Mobility is on a mission to facilitate this paradigm shift to build a long-lasting sustainable change while supporting start-ups whose solutions provide a positive impact. Through our accelerator and scale-up programmes, we provide crucial support to early-stage companies, foster valuable connections within a unique urban mobility ecosystem, and curate a funnel of top performing companies to our investments. We aim to change the present of urban mobility while fostering innovation and entrepreneurship; This is the key to shaping a better future for all of us.” 

EIT Urban Mobility Accelerator Programmes consist of seven thematic EU-funded programmes implemented through more than 30 key partners throughout Europe, from UnternehmerTUM (Germany) the Technical University of Munich, CARNET (Spain): initiated by SEAT, VolksWagen and UPC, CARNET is an Open hub for industrial and academic partners from the areas of automotive and mobility research and innovation; PowerHUB (Czech Republic): PowerHUB is an industrial partner focused on Transfer of Technologies in City safety, Mobility and Energy; Aerospace Valley (France): Cluster of the aerospace industry in the south-west of France, Startup Autobahn (Sweden): an open innovation platform that provides an interface between innovative tech companies and industry-leading corporations; Punkt vor Strich (Austria) is a knowledge & data platform; to Poslovna inteligencija (BIRD Incubator) (Croatia): An AI thematic incubator. One additional programme focuses on “scaling up” already mature start-ups in the mobility sector, with a selection of 12 candidates every year.  The seven accelerators for 2023 cohorts are Accelerate2MOVE – Future Mobility, Inclusive Mobility (Better Mobility Accelerator), E+ Mobility Accelerator, Energy & Public Realm, Smart Mobility – DMS Accelerator, Sustainable City Logistics Accelerator, UAM Plazza Accelerator  

Rapid environmental changes are impacting our cities and require rapid and innovative actions. The Rapid Applications for Transport (RAPTOR) Programme seeks to do so via its agile competition. The RAPTOR competition matches European cities facing urban mobility challenges with start-ups with innovative mobility solutions. While each of the city challenges and proposed solutions are different, the common theme woven throughout is the urgency of the transition to more sustainable transport. 

And the 2023 start-ups with innovative mobility solutions are…

EIT Urban Mobility is excited to announce the winning start-ups/SMEs of the 2023 RAPTOR Competition. Over 150 applications were received for the 12 city challenges. Following a rigorous two-phase evaluation process, we are pleased to present the 12 winners: Meep, Instant System, Hergele, Kentyou, Chargeprice, Asistobe, Rastel.io, Kobla, Nudgd, Everimpact, Transcality and Lokit!   

Following the agile methodology of the programme, the projects will kick off in August and run until December 2023. During these 5 months, winners will work closely with their respective city. Firstly the innovative start-up solutions for mobility challenges will need to be developed and tailored to the city specific requirements. Then they will be tested and validated in real-life demonstrations.   

What are the innovative mobility start-up solutions?

City of Ajka, Hungary + Meep

Every day around half of the population of the city of Ajka, commute to its centre. The insufficient and unreliable public transport routes contribute to the high congestion rates caused by car usage. Consequently this creates a disruption to mobility flows in the city. Spanish SME Meep will work with the City of Ajka to increase the use of public transport by improving the reliability and experience of public transport. They will do so by providing real-time information to users and enhancing communication with citizens. 

City of Akureyri, Iceland + Instant System

Despite a free public bus system, citizens of Akureyri prefer to travel by private car. The city is seeking to enhance intermodality between the public buses and micromobility solutions to promote modal shift to more sustainable transport. French SME Instant System will pilot its MaaS platform to provide users the best journey combinations of public transport, personal bike and shared mobility. Information on the CO2 emissions on these journeys compared to use of a car, will work to incentivise users.  

City of Ankara, Türkiye + Hergele

Capital city Ankara, is facing challenges in optimising the field operations of their electric bike sharing system. With more than 500 bikes and 40 charging stations, route optimisation of the bicycle maintenance vehicles via an integrated software is required for efficient and smart management. Turkish start-up Hergele will develop the route optimisation features of its Opp app which acts as a bridge between management and staff. The app provides an extensive micro-mobility fleet management solution by automating processes, facilitating communication, and providing real-time tracking and data analysis for informed and effective decision making.  

Metropolitan Area of Barcelona, Spain + Kentyou

The Metropolitan Area of Barcelona is facing challenges in getting the most value from data collected by their own app monitoring loading/unloading zones, to make data-driven decisions. French start-up Kentyou will demo its holistic data platform, AI-powered data analytics tool, and a visualisation and decision-making tool. The solution will provide forecasting of parking demand or occupancy, routing optimisation, and traffic management recommendations.  

Capital Region of Denmark, Denmark + Chargeprice

The Capital Region of Denmark is working to electrify 1.5 million vehicles by 2030. Thus the accessibility and transparency of electric vehicle charging infrastructure is key. The price of EV charging in the region is regulated by the charging operators, each with their own pricing policy and app. Therefore charging can vary significantly depending on the time of day, type of charging station, operator, and roaming policies. French start-up Chargeprice, will pilot its EV charging price comparator which precisely calculates and predicts charging prices among the thousands of charging operators in Europe. Consequently, the app allows EV drivers to find the best charging station and prices based on personal choices.  

City of Debrecen, Hungary + Asistobe

Like many cities, Debrecen faces challenges caused by the extreme growth of car traffic. Norwegian start-up Asistobe will work with the city to create an optimised, sustainable transport network that connects low-density areas. By using mobile network data, historical public transport data, and demographic data, Asistobe will create a predictive model of the transport demand. As a result, Asistobe’s AI and machine learning algorithms, will propose the optimal intermodal transport systems, including organisation, capacity, routes, and timetables.  

City of Dubnica nad Váhom, Slovakia + Rastel.io

The central city of Dubnica nad Váhom, is in the process of developing its first bicycle infrastructure and a strategic approach to increase modal share. One of the challenges they face is to provide safe and accessible infrastructure for bicycle users. Addressing this challenge, Romanian start-up Rastel.io will pilot its modular, smart, and secure bike parking units which have a digital twin for real-time data. Additionally, the solar powered parking units are accessible through an app which can enable 3^rd party organisations to reward active mobility.  

The Hague, Netherlands + Kobla

Norwegian start-up Kobla will pilot an incentive system that validates the use of public or shared transportation for travel to Scheveningen Beach, and offers a variety of rewards. Accordingly, Kobla’s solution will promote more sustainable travel to the beach and reduce traffic congestion issues, key elements of the challenge faced by the Hague.  

City of Helsingborg, Sweden + Nudgd

Winning local start-up Nudgd will work alongside the City of Helsingborg to increase cycling rates using its Smart Nudges platform. Specifically Nudgd will develop a school-focused version of the platform, using behavioural science and nudging techniques to encourage active mobility. The digital platform targets parents, children, and school staff, offering personalised interventions and soft incentives. 

City of Mechelen, Belgium + Everimpact

The city of Mechelen is undertaking an ambitious transition to zero-emission city logistics by 2030. In order to achieve this target, the city requires a data-based solution to monitor interventions. Selected winner, French based SME Everimpact, will test 15 IoT sensors. Specifically these sensors will provide real-time data on CO2 emissions from freight transportation. Thereafter, allowing for powerful insights, informed decision-making, and targeted interventions.  

City of Munich, Germany + Transcality

The city of Munich faces the challenge of understanding the travel behaviour of the ever-increasing number of inhabitants and commuters. Zurich start-up Transcality will implement a digital twin to leverage advanced data analytics and multimodal traffic simulation. Thus providing the City of Munich with a profound understanding of its citizens mobility patterns. 

Stuttgart Region, Germany + LOKIT

For the Stuttgart Region, Italian start-up LOKIT will pilot secure universal micro mobility charging stations. These stations will contribute to diversifying sustainable transportation options to relieve congestion at large events. 

We look forward to sharing upcoming news about their solution development from August to December 2023. 

Are you a city* with a mobility challenge? Do you have an innovative start-up^ solution for mobility challenges? Contact us via our contact form or head to our website https://raptorproject.eu/ for more information on RAPTOR, past and present.

Learn more about the opportunities available for start-ups via the Impact Ventures and Innovation programmes.

*City must be located within an EU member state or third country associated to Horizon Europe.  

^Start-up/SME must be registered within an EU member state or third country associated to Horizon Europe.

In total 12 innovative start-ups selected for second edition of New European Bauhaus programme

Amsterdam, the Netherlands – The EIT Community New European Bauhaus have today announced the 12 innovative start-ups and scale-ups they will be supporting through their NEB Booster 2.0  programme. The programme will support innovative organisations to grow their businesses and help them become international gamechangers. Each of the selected businesses is working on ideas that make Europe more sustainable, inclusive and improve the quality of a wide range of citizens’ lives. EIT Urban Mobility, an initiative of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, a body of the European Union and part of EIT Community, has three of start-ups selected to receive support.

Initially announced by President Von der Leyen in her State of the Union address and launched by the European Commission in early 2021, the New European Bauhaus (NEB), translates the European Green Deal into a tangible, positive experience in which all Europeans can participate and progress together.

The EIT Community is ideally placed to support implementation of the NEB as it has created Europe’s largest innovation ecosystem with over 2,000 partners (business, research, education, cities) cooperating in over 60 hubs across Europe. By engaging with European innovators and civil society at large, the community is promoting business through start-up creation and growth, as well as contributing to citizens’ education and engagement.

The NEB Booster 2.0 programme will offer them a prize and acceleration support services worth a total of €50,000 (each), including business coaching, mentoring, internationalisation, and fundraising support as well as access to the vast network of the most prominent innovation community in Europe.

Meet the start-ups

3 start-ups on mobility

SEADS Sea Defence Solutions

SEADS Blue Barriers are an award-winning solution that collects about 100% of mixed plastic in rivers, capturing also microplastic.

Find out more here.  

BeTRITON

We build Amphibious Camper Tricycles, offering the most sustainable, unique, and continuous mobility over land and water. BeTriton is a fully electric three-in-one vehicle that seamlessly combines the functionalities of an e-boat, an e-bike, and a compact e-camper.

Find out more here.  

Parkly

Parkly is a movement with a mission – connecting people and transforming urban spaces into green, inviting places. The multifunctional and modular urban furniture helps to rapidly change and reimagine our cities, while pioneering circular economy solutions.

Find out more here.  

Other start-ups

NATIVES

NATIVES is the Impact Digital Platform for schools, integrating sustainability through multimedia best in class contents and project proposals based in real life learning scenarios.

Find out more here.  

Agua de Sol SAS

Agua de Sol developed the SunAir Fountain®, which is a solar/water panel transforming air moisture into carbon-free, fresh drinkable water, thanks to solar heat, in complete autonomy.

Find out more here. 

Imperfect 

Imperfect does not just reimagine housing and renovation; we are reshaping them with citizens at the heart of it all, creating local solutions to global challenges.

Find out more here.  

Energy Shift

Energy Shift is a web based, blockchain powered platform that enables citizens to jointly invest in and co-own solar parks, thus democratizing the energy sector and enabling citizens to actively participate in the energy transition to renewable energy.

Find out more here.  

Hempstatic GmbH

Hempstatic specializes in renewable building elements made from high-quality agricultural residues.

Find out more here.  

Novellic

Novellic is a mobile app for readers and book clubbers that curates and personalises book recommendations to each user’s particular reading taste, and provides tools to create, discover, join and manage book clubs to meet like-minded readers and share book recommendations.

Find out more here.  

ParaStruct

We enable a circular economy in the construction industry through digital manufacturing methods and new materials.

Find out more here.  

Geodesic.Life

Geodesic.Life is a sustainable prefabricated dome home at a lower cost with a unique combination of geodesic structure made of Cross Laminated Timber and insulated with Hempctere.

Find out more here.  

Oleago

Oleatex is a plant-based next generation material that is 100% vegan, and sustainable innovation for the textile industry. It is crafted from bio-wastes with an awarded formula.

Find out more here.  

About the call

The New European Bauhaus Booster 2.0 supports socially conscious innovators across the continent. The call was launched by EIT Digital, EIT Climate-KIC, EIT Food, EIT Manufacturing, and EIT Urban Mobility, and looked for the most innovative ventures developing solutions that make Europe more sustainable, inclusive and improve citizens’ quality of life. Stay tuned for NEB Booster 3.0, the first-ever NEB acceleration programme bringing together both entrepreneurship and business skills with NEB training and coaching.

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?

• Athens University of Economics and Business, Greece  
• Cluj Cluster of Education C-EDU, Romania 
• Dundalk Institute of Technology, Ireland  
• Edinburgh Napier University, UK  
• EIT KIC Urban Mobility, Spain  
• EURA AG, Germany  
• Foundation for Innovation, Technology, and Transfer of Knowledge, Bosnia & Herzegovina  
• HM Hochschule München University of Applied Sciences, Germany  
• International Burch University, Bosnia and Herzegovina  
• Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Croatia  
• Queen’s University Belfast, UK  
• Start-ups Academy, Greece  
• Strascheg Center for Entrepreneurship, Germany  
• The Edge; Research and Business Development, Bulgaria  
• University of Aveiro, Portugal  
• University of Information Technology and Management in Rzeszow, Poland  
• VIA University College, Denmark 
• Municipality of Varna, Bulgaria (Associated Partner) 

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.

Nowadays, a new generation of sector-agnostic VC (Venture Capital) funds is emerging to laser-focus on solutions advocating for inclusivity. This trend follows the political agenda of decision-makers backed by a vast amount of data collected in the past decade. As showcased in multiple studies, they serve researchers and thought leaders when pointing out gaps and deficiencies existing in the current mobility systems. Technological leap with the high pace in which urban areas grow makes them an incredibly attractive, albeit competitive space for solution providers where implementation speed and economic efficiency naturally gain the position of urging priorities.

Although it is true that competition translates into quality and eventually leads to cutting down on emissions while improving the quality of life, so-called smart cities are often overseeing vulnerable groups and minorities with needs that are different from the regular user profile. In this article, a hi-tech software solution supporting the blind and visually impaired will be discussed.

How does Dreamwaves work?  

As an organization bridging all types of stakeholders under the pan-European roof, the special mandate of EIT Urban Mobility is to be vocal about the mobility-related needs of vulnerable minorities and lead the peloton of actors working on safe and inclusive public spaces.

Dreamwaves, an Austrian start-up founded and led by Hugo Furtado, Liliana Calapez, Elke Mattheiss, and Lukas Zimmermann strengthened the company’s equity portfolio with the right tool to work on this agenda. Namely, a software employing augmented reality technology to unlock the unique sound navigation experience to its users, making them feel safe and welcome on the busy streets. With Dreamwaves, the blind and visually impaired can navigate their surroundings with greater confidence and independence, creating a more equitable environment for all.

Why we invested in Dreamwaves? 

What sparked EIT Urban Mobility investor´s attention and dispelled potential doubts? Let´s zoom at a simple 3xT test applied in this case as a part of standard qualification analysis.

1. Timing

It all started with a spotted opportunity and a multi-billion market that awaited to be unleashed. As he later admitted during one of the off-track conversations, Hugo Furtado – CEO of Dreamwaves – was always a passion-driven entrepreneur centered on new technologies and out-of-the-box innovations. To be crazy or not to be at all. Following the music and gaming industries racing solitary for both hardware and software improvements to take the sound experience to the next level, he already saw a brand-new use case. It later resulted with the thought that it pays off to look right when everyone goes left. And talking about the majority, all of us interact with audio content while commuting or during physical outdoor activities. It is nothing strange considering the fact that – following Eurostat´s data ⁽¹⁾ – in 2019 an average commuting time oscillated around 25 minutes. However, as explained with greater detail in different study ⁽²⁾, for one-fifth of the population it could be extended to over 90 minutes per day.

To put it briefly: headphones, of all sizes and kinds, are nowadays an extension of our bodies. Extension that might be more than a source of entertainment, especially for the blind and visually impaired. Dreamwaves decided to be the voice of blind people, making them see the world through their ears.

2. Technology

In principle, the whole concept of screen- and hands-free navigation offered via waveOut can be stressed in three steps. Once the destination is selected and the journey kicks-off, virtual waypoints are being placed in the real world around the user. On the fly. The goal is to reach them and to make it happen, the user must hear them. That is when the sound is activated. It can be compared to a phone call when the ringtone allows us to locate the device. The closer we are, by nature the louder becomes the sound. The same law applies to the Dreamwaves´ software. As soon as the checkpoint is reached, the next waypoint is placed, and the voice switches its location. Again and over, following the beat of a gentle drum until the doormat. Or one´s favourite bookshop.

As simple and naïve the above may sound, the way-finding solution enclosed in the app requires the latest augmented reality toolkits, global positioning advances and machine learning methods behind the scenes. Additional challenges lie in the accuracy that in the busy streets full of static obstacles and dynamic objects must be ultimately reliable. Understanding the state-of-the art of computer vision methods to determine the location of the user in real time helps to overcome this barrier.

Connected to the multi-object environment but being a separate problem class is omnipresent noise pollution. As the solution is hardware-agnostic, meaning that no special upfront investment in wearables is required, it is crucial to ensure that the best experience is provided, even with some quality being lost. This trade-off is a fair price for making the solution truly open and accessible to everyone.

3. Tests & Testimonials

While Dreamwaves is changing the way people understand and sense their locations, the competent and interdisciplinary team navigate itself company´s growth by hearing to the group of early-adopters and tech geeks. Hundreds of individuals were involved in the design and testing phases, with the others feeding engineers with further, post-launch testimonials.

“The best thing we ever heard from a user was: “It’s a bit like seeing. The fact that I constantly can hear the direction I have to go to is a great advantage!”. This made us really proud, and also gave us the feeling that we are in the right direction. On the tough days, thinking about this and other pieces of feedback, really keeps us motivated and going!” – said Hugo Furtado, the CEO of Dreamwaves.

Besides feedback, interactions are constantly feeding the team with new ideas, because the real beauty of every journey lies in additional opportunities being unfolded on the way. For Dreamwaves, these are cavernous cycling and travelling markets where hundreds of millions of users are looking for tricks to make their lives easier and their urban trips saver. Is there anyone out there who didn’t manoeuvre the bike with one hand while staring at phone maps?

Future Mobility: amplifying the voice of inclusivity

Accompanied by the story of Hugo, Liliana, Elke, and Lukas this is the space to reflect all the barriers that still must be overcome to eradicate the gap between the blind or visually impaired and the rest sensing the surrounding with sight. With its first step and team efforts, Dreamwaves points to the direction we should look at technology. Its proper incorporation into urban and suburban areas can significantly enrich the existing toolkit, making the lenses through which smart cities are defined adjusted to the needs of commuting minorities. Only then we will be entitled to call streets inclusive and open spaces.

Do you want to know more about Dreamwaves’s mission and its solutions?

Visit the company website and LinkedIn. You can also further explore their product via EIT UM Marketplace.

This article is part of Why we invested? series presenting EIT Urban Mobility equity portfolio.

About the author

Mateusz Kaluza – investments analyst at EIT Urban Mobility, passionate about data and active mobility. Scouting for impact-driven innovations enabling shift towards citizen-oriented transportation systems. Contact at: mateusz.kaluza@eiturbanmobility.eu

Supporting literature:

• Main place of work and commuting time, 2019, Eurostat

• Trends in commuting time of European workers: A cross country analysis (via ScienceDirect)