Amsterdam-based shared e-cargo bike platform Cargoroo launches crowdfunding campaign, eyes expansion

Amsterdam-based Cargoroo, a shared electric cargo bikes provider, announced on Wednesday, April 5, that it has launched a crowdfunding campaign on the Oneplanetcrowd platform with a target of raising €2M.

At the time of writing this article, the company has raised €205,368 from 108 funders. 

The Dutch company says it intends to use the funds to accelerate expansion, grow to new German and Belgian cities, and double its bicycle fleet.

In December 2022, the Amsterdam startup raised €10M from Participatiefonds Duurzame Economie Noord-Holland (PDENH), The Sharing Group, Fairtree Elevant Ventures, and others. 

Cargoroo: What you need to know

Founded by Jaron Borensztajn, Erik de Winter, and Jelle Maije, Cargoroo offers e-cargo sharing bikes that are safe, affordable, environmentally friendly, and convenient. 

Electric cargo bikes are present at fixed locations and one can rent them as per their needs via an app. Users can rent it for € 0.10 per minute (pay per use).

The company focuses on those who need a cargo bike from time to time, such as parents who want to make an excursion with their kids, people looking to move heavy or large objects, or students moving into student accommodation. 

Cargoroo says its user base has grown threefold over the past year. Together, these users covered a distance of over 1,500,000M kilometres. 

The Dutch company plans to introduce the subscription model to serve customers even better, appropriately reward loyalty, and encourage off-peak usage.

Currently, Cargoroo is present in Amsterdam, Utrecht, Den Haag Arnhem, Nijmegen, Antwerpen, Leuven, Mechelen, Manchester, Berlijn, and Eindhoven.

OnePlanetcrowd: What you need to know

Founded in 2012 by Coenraad de Vries, Laura Rooseboom, and Maarten de Jong in Amsterdam, Oneplanetcrowd was one of the first pioneers in the Netherlands with a crowdfunding platform. 

With over 43,000 investors and nearly 300 fundings, Oneplanetcrowd passed the €100M capital threshold for social and sustainable companies and projects in September 2022. 

Oneplanetcrowd was initiated by StartGreen Capital, one of the largest impact fund managers that have financed over 300 sustainable entrepreneurs and energy projects.