The coronavirus has impacted businesses in different ways. Many businesses that relied on customers walking in saw a significant drop in revenue during the lockdown. On the other hand, cloud-based companies observed a significant increase in the demand for their services. But with the lockdown now easing up, travel and micro-mobility is another section, which is expected to grow significantly. LINK is a new entrant in the micro-mobility scene that is backed up by well-known names and is looking to make a mark in the EU’s micro-mobility scene.
LINK to launch advanced e-scooters in Europe and UK
LINK is a shared micro-mobility division of the company Superpedestrian, a Boston-based micro-mobility startup. The former was launched last month after Superpedestrian acquired a Boston-based micro-mobility startup Zagster’s fleet operations business. The company is all set to expand its services to the EU.
While the company has not revealed the exact cities and launch dates, Silicon Canals has learned that it is currently in discussion with 15 cities across the UK, Spain, and Italy, and expects to launch in at least 10 cities by the end of 2020.
“LINK’s scooters are built for city riding, and you can feel the difference,” says Assaf Biderman, CEO of Superpedestrian. “We see LINK as part of a new era of micro-mobility. We’ve custom engineered our vehicles to increase rider safety and enhance compliance, and we’re committed to building long-term partnerships with cities.”
Rapid hiring hints at a big upcoming launch
Most new companies are going slow amid the coronavirus but this doesn’t seem to be the case with LINK. The company is making a slew of strategic hires with the aim of leveraging their expertise for a successful commercial launch of its operations across Europe. It has recruited Haya Verwoord Douidri – Bird’s former Head of Policy for Southern Europe, Benelux, and the Middle East – to join as Vice President for EMEA.
Additionally, to support its anticipated UK expansion, LINK has also hired Bird alum Francisco Madaleno as Senior Operations Manager, and JUMP alum Joanna Jacob as Senior Manager for City Partnerships and Proposals. Manuel Ortiz Lázaro, Lime’s former Director of Policy for Spain & Portugal, and micro-mobility veteran Tim Caswell are also brought onboard on advisers.
LINK; The first self-diagnostic micro-mobility scooter
Superpedestrian is well-known for developing the Copenhagen Wheel. The company has also developed a self-assessing system that is said to aid in the longevity of a vehicle. LINK’s vehicle fleet comes equipped with the same proprietary “Vehicle Intelligence System (VIS)”. This system is said to offer self-protection technology that performs real-time analysis on a vehicle and resolves potential issues in real-time, minimising risk to the rider and the vehicle.
LINK claims its vehicles are highly-resilient and can last for over 2500 rides and travel up to 90km on a single charge. These numbers notably above the current industry standard, but it remains to be seen how the company will perform in the European market. The company also aims to distinguish itself by collaborating with cities, offering advanced e-scooters equipped with new technologies, and following compliance with regulations such as speed limits and no-ride zones.
