• Karos transforms empty car seats into a new mode of public transport
• Karos lands in Vitoria-Gasteiz with a pilot experience co-funded by EIT Urban Mobility

Vitoria-Gasteiz, September 2023 – Karos was born in 2014 in France and has services in Denmark, Germany, and Spain. It is a leading European app for car sharing between home and work, and since its launch, it has made 8 million journeys, avoiding around 13,600 tonnes of CO2.

The app is now coming to Vitoria-Gasteiz, thanks to a project developed by EIT Urban Mobility, to reduce the thousands of journeys from the city centre to the industrial estates every morning. The Mobility survey of industrial parks revealed that more than half of the workers would share a car to get to work. Until now, this was only possible with an acquaintance.

Carpooling solution for daily commuting in suburban areas

EIT Urban Mobility, in collaboration with the Basque city of Vitoria-Gasteiz, and our silver partner, Karos, we plan to create a carpooling network for commuters of the city who have no other option than driving a car, adapting our carpooling app to the Spanish market and involving local employers.

The aim of the project is helping hundreds of companies to reduce their carbon footprint: if fewer cars exist for the same workers, there will be less pollution. Car sharing is currently the most sustainable and efficient way to get to work: you reduce emissions, save time and spend less money.

What is Karos?

Karos lands in Vitoria-Gasteiz with a pilot experience co-funded by EIT Urban Mobility, an initiative of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union, as a result of one of our “Small Calls“.
The project is aimed at companies to reduce the carbon footprint of their staff and offer them more comfortable journeys. The objective is to minimise overall commuting emissions and save time and money.

Drivers create the route in the app and wait for others to sign up. For each journey, the driver will receive at least €1.5 for each person they transport, and passengers select a route and travel to work for free. Each passenger saves time and pays nothing.

The app is available in Basque, Spanish, and English. It was launched in 2014 and is already present in European countries such as France, Germany, and Denmark.

Karos is Silver partner at EIT Urban Mobility Innovation Hub South.
More info available here: https://www.karos-mobility.com/

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 Municipality of Braga has launched the “Reactivity Braga – Diversity and Sustainability” initiative to encourage Braga residents to embrace more sustainable, inclusive, and eco-friendly transportation options. In return, citizens can accrue points to exchange for discounts at local businesses.

This represents an innovative intermodal urban mobility project supported and promoted by EIT Urban Mobility, in collaboration with Braga Urban Transport (TUB) and the Business Association of Braga. The project hinges on a reward and gamification system, where users are incentivised to choose public transportation, bicycles, electric scooters, or walking for their commutes.

This approach makes the mobility experience more appealing and enjoyable, motivating citizens to adopt more mindful and sustainable transportation practices.

The project began on 10 August and is slated to run for three months. To participate, Braga residents need to complete a specific form. Upon registration approval, users can access an online platform to track their performance, view accumulated points, and observe their contributions to promoting sustainable mobility in Braga.

During the project’s presentation press conference, Olga Pereira, Braga’s City Councillor and President of the Board of Directors of TUB, remarked that this initiative is part of ongoing efforts to transform the mobility habits of Braga residents toward sustainability: “Reactivity Braga follows the success of last year’s Bicification project, which inspired us to apply for this new project in partnership with TUB. Reactivity relies on buses as the core component but also encourages walking, cycling, and scooting.”

“The great thing about the REACTIVITY project is its intermodal approach, which combines different modes of transport to offer citizens flexible and convenient options for their daily journeys,” explained Olga Pereira, Braga City Council councillor. By integrating public transport with bicycles and electric scooters, the project extends the reach of public transport stops, providing citizens with more comprehensive and accessible mobility throughout the city. “The municipality remains committed to working in favour of more sustainable mobility in the municipality, which benefits everyone’s quality of life,” said the councillor.

REACTIVITY promotes sustainable mobility through a unique reward and gamification component. By participating in the project, users can accumulate points and achieve goals by opting for more sustainable modes of transport.  With the project’s rewards and gamification mechanism, users can win vouchers, which can be discounted at various commercial establishments that are partners of the initiative. Around 30 shops are already involved, but the aim is to extend this range to a more significant number of establishments. “We started out with around 30 shops, but given the extraordinary receptiveness of local businesses, the aim is to increase the number of shops involved significantly,” said Rui Marques, AEB’s director-general.

Local traders joining the REACTIVITY project represents a unique opportunity to boost their businesses and establishments. By joining the network of partners that accept vouchers generated by users, shops have access to greater visibility and attract customers. In this way, traders not only benefit from increased customer flow, but also contribute to a more sustainable and dynamic city.
Over the next three months, Braga’s people can participate in this pioneering initiative. Through the online platform dedicated to the project, citizens can monitor their performance, accumulate points and check their contribution to more sustainable mobility in Braga.

About REACTIVITY

The REACTIVITY project rewards public transport and active mobility to reduce emissions; backs data-driven urban; and traffic planning and engaging with citizens, thus helping cities promote sustainable mobility and intramodality while discouraging car dependence.

This project meets the needs of city managers for digital tools to enable urban multi-modal and multi-source mobility planning, providing a solution to support intermodal transport, including public transport, cycling, walking, kick-scooters, and car-pooling. The mobility monitoring support is achieved through an active mobility plugin integrated in a multi-data source web dashboard.

The solutions will be implemented and tested in Braga (Portugal) and Lecce (Italy) during the second half of 2023. The expected outcomes of REACTIVITY are an increased share of public transport (+6%) and active mobility (+ 15%) and the reduction of kilometres driven by private cars (-2.5 M) and of CO2 emissions (-320 tons) in each city.

Discover more: reactivity-eit.eu

For the third time European Women in VC, and multiple partners including EIT Urban Mobility have released a study on the European Venture market from gender perspective, shedding light on the profound impact of gender diversity on fund performance within European venture capital (VC) firms. Access to the full report on the Gender diversity in European Venture Capital Firms 

This comprehensive study, conducted together with International Data Cooperation continues the monitoring of gender representation in the European VC industry. Year on year analysis of actual firepower (Assets Under Management – AUM) presents no change in presence of female GPs, since last year only 9% of total AUM. Even though 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 survey respondents showed that in 2023 only 16% of general partners (GPs) are women, compared to 15% in 2022.  This data highlights the need for continued efforts to empower female managers and support them in all processes leading to more efficient fundraising. 

“The findings confirm what we knew, meaning female general partners (GPs) are under-represented in European Venture Capital. Especially the share of assets under management (AUM) is disproportionate, where the overwhelming majority are managed by male GP’s. It is however very encouraging to see that more women in VC’s leads to lower risk and greater returns, and I hope these conclusions will incite the creation of more funds with female GPs. Looking to the future, the report represents a steppingstone where we see positive trends that can help propel us to more unbiased VC investments and ultimately a better opportunity for female entrepreneurs.” Fredrik Hånell, Director of Impact Ventures at EIT Urban Mobility. EIT Urban Mobility has the dedication to narrow the start-up gender gap and foster an inclusive ecosystem. When selecting start-ups to invest in, gender-balance is one of the key objectives. This has led that from the portfolio of 86 start-ups, 44% is female-led. 

This report aims to show that the diversity of investment teams could be beneficial for superior return generation: According to our analysis, mixed-gender investment teams show higher returns on managed funds. The report also shows how gender diversity is much more than just a bullet point on an organization’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) checklist. 

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. 

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.

 In Europe, the need for internationalization arises early on, given the relatively small size of countries and their cultural and regulatory differences. For female-led start-ups, international growth presents additional unique challenges, resulting from limited access to funding and networks compared to their counterparts. And that´s where Supernovas, the leading female entrepreneurship support organization of the EIT, jumps in!

The Rocket Up programme, a comprehensive 15-week initiative under the umbrella of Supernovas,  offers tailored support from mentors with expertise in market expansion and strategy development, along with individualized guidance from industry experts, and valuable introductions to stakeholders.

Among the selected start-ups, we have four mobility-focused ventures in this year’s batch:

• Go Jauntly (UK): Free, award-winning, community-based app which promotes walking for leisure, active travel and nature connection. 

• ProperGate (Poland): Smart logistics platform for construction sites. Streamline operations, optimize resources, and drive sustainability.

• GAYA (France): GAYA is a French smart-bikes brand, dedicated to make urban families life brighter. 

• BitaGreen (Belgium): For healthier and happier cities, BitaGreen helps risk managers identify best locations for investment in climate-proof urban nature.

The complete batch includes the following start-ups:

1. Gaya Bike

2. Ani Biome

3. Fermata

4. Corbiota

5. BitaGreen

6. Scaled

7. GoJauntly

8. ProperGate

9. Li-tech

10. Resourcly

All participating start-ups in the Rocket Up programme are committed to the goals of EIT Urban Mobility, EIT Food, or EIT Manufacturing, aligning their efforts with sustainability and economic development.

Throughout this intensive programme, participating start-ups will achieve the following outcomes:

• Identify the most suitable market for expansion and develop a well-defined go-to-market strategy with an actionable to-do list for successful market entry.
• Connect with key stakeholders and potential partners to establish fruitful collaborations.
• Expand networks through interactions with industry experts and experienced mentors providing valuable guidance.
• Foster meaningful connections with other women-led start-ups, creating a supportive community of like-minded entrepreneurs.

Stay updated on the progress and achievements of these outstanding start-ups by connecting with us on our social media channels. For more information about the Rocket Up programme, please visit the Supernovas website.       

“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. Especially 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 shown a strong team, remarkable product innovation focusing on sustainability, and the potential for international expansion.”

Celeste Reglá, Rocket Up Programme Officer

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.

Out of 470 applications received, 86 promising start-ups were selected to participate in the seven Accelerators and Scale-up programmes, resulting in an 18% success rate for applicants. The high number of applications provides evidence of 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. In 2022, the thematic accelerators and Scale-up programmes provided support to 74 start-ups.

EIT Urban Mobility’s Accelerators and Scale-up programmes will provide the selected start-ups with an extensive array of services and support spanning over a six-month period. This support includes personalised mentoring, enabling start-ups to tap into the expertise and guidance of professionals. Additionally, living lab testing of solutions allows for real-world validation and optimization of their innovative offerings. The programmes also facilitate valuable matchmaking opportunities with cities and industry partners, fostering collaborations and strategic partnerships. Furthermore, start-ups gain access to important industry events, enabling them to showcase their solutions, network with key stakeholders, and gain crucial visibility.

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.”

Scale-up Programme 2023

The Scale-up Programme will be a precursor and will support 12 start-ups during 2023 with a
cross-thematic focus so that they develop and implement innovative solutions in the field of
urban mobility.

• IMPARGO
• SparkPARK
• Ridergy
• Hybrid Lidar
• Roadia
• Triply
• Luna Systems
• Parkunload
• Comodif
• Lade.de
• Walkingtalking
• AviBike Kft. (BLOCK)

The Scale-Up programme consortium partners managing the programme are CARNET – UPC Technology Cente, Digital Hub Logistics Hamburg, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Niedersächsisches Forschungszentrum
Fahrzeugtechnik (NFF), PowerHUB and UnternehmerTUM (UTUM).

Accelerate2MOVE – Future Mobility 2023

Accelerate2MOVE will provide support to start-ups generating solutions (TRL4 to TRL7) in advanced technologies and concepts that contribute to the sustainability of urban mobility, more specifically in AI, blockchain, 5G, vehicle-2-everything (V2X) and IoT.

• Asistobe AS
• BB Boreal Bikes GmbH
• CycleAI, Lda
• Drop DAO
• Fruittorg
• GaiaHub OÜ
• Link Robotik Teknolojileri Makine Sanayi ve Ticaret Anonim Sirketi
• Moveree
• TechNovator
• UDX Research s.r.o.
• Urban Monkeys GmbH
• Vivadrive

The Accelerate2MOVE consortium partners managing the accelerator are Innovation Centre Nikola Tesla (ICENT), LMT, Ljubljana University Incubator (LUI), North-West Croatia Regional Energy and Climate Agency (REGEA), Poslovna inteligencija (BIRD Incubator) and VEFRESH.

Better Mobility Accelerator – Inclusive Mobility 2023

The Better Mobility Accelerator will be a precursor and will support 12 start-ups during 2023
with a focus on inclusive mobility so that they develop and implement innovative solutions in the
field of urban mobility.

• .lumen
• 3FINERY LTD
• Artificient Mobility Intelligence GmbH
• Bellavi Software AB
• Cocoon Airbag Protection AB
• Cyclebee GmbH
• EOOS NEXT
• LendoCare
• Nemi Mobility Solutions
• Omni Audio Ltd.
• White Jacket Global S.L.
• Workride

The Better Mobility Accelerator consortium partners managing the accelerator are Impact Hub Vienna, Productized and Punkt vor Strich.

E+ Mobility Accelerator 2023

The E+ Mobility Accelerator proposal is a continuation of the EIT Urban Mobility Hub South Acceleration Programme, with a specific focus on the mobility & energy, micro-mobility and shared mobility thematic fields.

• Andronebula SL
• Closebattery Logistics SL (full&fast)
• DeepVolt
• ecoDeliver
• Electric Vehicle Ecosystem
• Iomob
• Meredot
• QOOB
• SWITCH
• Wikimove

The partners of this programme are Barcelona Activa, Carnet, Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH), Connected Mobility Hub (CMH), Automotive Technology Center of Galicia (CTAG), Italian National Agency for New Technologies Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Ferrovial, Polytechnic University of Catalonia and Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF).

Energy & Public Realm Accelerator 2023

The EIT Urban Mobility Public Realm Accelerator provides support for innovative mobility solutions, focusing on creating a better public space and improving the well-being of residents by addressing energy- and mobility-related aspects.

• 2C s.rl
• Campfire Solutions GmbH-
• Cellgrid
• Deveci Tech
• Future Power Fund UG (i.G.)
• Go Rolloe Ltd. (GoRolloe)
• INRES Yenilikçi Yenilenebilir Enerji Sistemleri Anonim Şirketi
• RWInnoTec GmbH
• SurplusMap
• WeCreate GmbH

The partners of this programme are Zone Cluster, PowerHUB and SpinLab Accelerator GmbH.

Smart Mobility – DMS Accelerator 2023

The DMS Accelerator focuses on smart and sustainable mobility so that they develop and implement innovative solutions in the field of urban mobility.

• Carbmee
• Brightmerge
• i4drive
• Luchs security
• Anyroutes
• The Tyre Collective
• Terra sp. z o.o.
• Clearly
• XENSE Vision AB
• Novac s.r.l.

The partners of this programme are Drive TLV, MobilityXLab and Startup Autobahn, powered by Plug and Play.

Sustainable City Logistics Accelerator 2023

The Sustainable City Logistics Accelerator will support you to transform your sustainable city logistics solution from local to global.

• ANET360 – British-Hungarian Road Safety PLC
• BAVERTIS
• BUDDY Service Iberia SL
• CommuteSaver
• Keet
• IntegrtiyKEY S.R.L.
• Omniloop AB
• REVOLTZ LTD
• Sade
• SHARE

The partners of this programme are UnternehmerTUM, Polihub, AZO, DTU Science Park’s Futurebox, TU Munich and ISBAK.

UAM Plazza Accelerator 2023

The UAM Plazza accelerator programme aims to help start-ups in the field of Urban Air Mobility boost the introduction of their solutions to the market.

• ABzero
• ARC Aerosystems
• CRSA – Connect Robotics Sistemas Autónomos Lda
• DM-AirTech GmbH
• PrimeCor Systems S.L.P.
• Skycharge
• StratoWave Connect
• THE EDGE COMèPANY
• UP&CHARGE
• VOLARE GmbH

The partners of this programme are Toulouse Métropole, Aerospace Valley, CARNET and Ferrovial.

To follow the progress and results of the programmes, connect to our social media channels. In case of interest to apply for the next open call for the accelerator programmes, please register here.

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.