Founders Raymon Pouwels and Bibi Jorissen want to use the brand-new millions to increase awareness of their all-in-one transportation app. “In three years, we want to have a covering network in six European countries.
“Great news, right?” said a good-humored Raymon Pouwels (29). He and co-founder Bibi Jorissen (27) have raised €6 million from investors for their startup Umob. The Rotterdam startup has developed an app that should allow users to find, book and pay for all forms of shared and public transportation. ‘If you go to Paris or Barcelona you shouldn’t have to download tig different apps for share bikes, scooters or scooters, but just one.’
And the one app from the entrepreneurial duo, of course. Pouwels is familiar with such app solutions. He is founder of Go Sharing, known for its bright green shared scooter. Pouwels left early this year when the company went into receivership and was later acquired by Turkey’s BinBin. Go Sharing worked with similar apps. “But then you could only see where the vehicles were, booking always had to be done through the provider’s app.
Group of entrepreneurs invests in Umob
Other lesson he took away from the previous entrepreneurial adventure. ‘We want to keep the team small. It makes a difference that with such a platform you don’t manage the vehicles yourself.’ Go Sharing played a capital-intensive game. It raised €50 million, including from the investment vehicle of Quote 500 member Robert van der Wallen. That is not involved this time, says Pouwels. The money came from “a group of successful entrepreneurs who care about their privacy.
A hefty supply of two-wheelers is not needed now: so where does the Maasstad-based MaaS (mobility-as-a-service) app direct the millions. ‘Expansion of the software platform. We need to connect twenty providers. In addition, we need to hire staff and invest in marketing.’ Users of the app pay the same rate as if they were booking directly with the provider. Umob receives a fee per booking made from connected parties such as Felyx (scooters), Donkey Republic (bicycles) and cab companies.
European ambitions
Next year there should be 200,000 shared vehicles on the platform. For now, Umob is focusing on the Dutch market. ‘We are fortunate that many of the parties on our platform such as Bolt and Bird work internationally. So we can cross the border pretty quickly. ‘ Handy, because Pouwels and Jorissen’s ambition is to have a covering network in six European countries within three years.