Silicon Canals
TRENDING
  • Mobility
  • AI
  • FinTech
  • Software & SaaS
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Ukraine
    • Startups
    • Scaleups
    • FinTech
    • AI and chatbots
    • Travel & Mobility
    • Software & SaaS
    • Health & Medtech
    • (Crowd)funding
    • Blockchain
    • Internet of things
    • Hardware
    • Accelerators
    • E-commerce
    • Cybersecurity
    • Gaming & Virtual Reality
    • Drones
    • COVID-19
  • Features
    • How-to
    • Knowledge & Insights
    • Guest Contributions
  • Partners
    • Amsterdam
    • Rise by Techleap.nl
    • Fintech Files by AWS
    • Scaling-up in Europe
    • Blue Tulip Awards
    • Partner with us
    • Promoted content
  • Events
    • Technology Events in Europe
    • Submit your event
  • Jobs
  • About us
    • Partner with us
    • About
    • Team
    • Newsletter
  • Contact
  • Home
  • News
    • Ukraine
    • Startups
    • Scaleups
    • FinTech
    • AI and chatbots
    • Travel & Mobility
    • Software & SaaS
    • Health & Medtech
    • (Crowd)funding
    • Blockchain
    • Internet of things
    • Hardware
    • Accelerators
    • E-commerce
    • Cybersecurity
    • Gaming & Virtual Reality
    • Drones
    • COVID-19
  • Features
    • How-to
    • Knowledge & Insights
    • Guest Contributions
  • Partners
    • Amsterdam
    • Rise by Techleap.nl
    • Fintech Files by AWS
    • Scaling-up in Europe
    • Blue Tulip Awards
    • Partner with us
    • Promoted content
  • Events
    • Technology Events in Europe
    • Submit your event
  • Jobs
  • About us
    • Partner with us
    • About
    • Team
    • Newsletter
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
Silicon Canals
No Result
View All Result

Sweden’s Vässla raises $11M to transform from a direct-to-consumer retail model into a rental platform; here’s why

Editorial team by Editorial team
June 14, 2021
in (Crowd)funding, News, Startups, Travel & Mobility
Vässla

Image credits: Vässla

241
SHARES
LinkedInTwitterWhatsAppFacebook

Macro trends are now crystal clear! Cities grow, traffic congestions are escalating, and the planet suffers. Global warming has become one of the biggest concerns. 

As a result, micromobility is fast redefining the first and last-mile travels in urban areas across many countries.  

- Partner content -
digital skills dutch workforce
Salesforce’s report on Dutch workforce’s digital skills
Has the Dutch workforce mastered all digital skills? Find out
Has the Dutch workforce mastered all digital skills? Find out Show Less
Read more

In fact, e-mopeds and e-scooters have emerged as an effective alternative for short-distance commuting due to the easy accessibility, affordability, and zero emissions. 

Right now, heaps of mobility startups are on the mission of developing a more sustainable urban transport system to create a seamless mobility experience while reducing pollution, congestion, and noise. 

Raised €9M

Stockholm-based, Vässla is one among them! The Swedish company that produces e-bikes and e-mopeds has secured $11M (approx €9M) in funding led by the Swedish investment group, Skabholmen Invest. 

Others including Magnus Wiberg and Patrik Hedelin, who founded the growth capital firm eEquity, and several high-profile Nordic-based entrepreneurs and finance profiles, also participated.

To date, the company has raised a total of $6M , excluding this current round.

Skabholmen Invest

Skabholmen Invest is a Swedish family-owned investment company that focuses on small and mid companies in various sectors with underlying development potential. 

Headed by Anders Pettersson, the company has previously backed nautical clothing brand Henri-Lloyd and digital signage company – Zeta Display. As a part of the funding round, Skabholmen Invest will be joining the Vässla board of directors.

Wilhelm Pettersson, CEO Skabholmen Invest, comments, “We truly believe that the future of urban planning will exclude personal cars. Micro mobility will change cities and transform urban living for good. Vässla is the shining star in this sector, and that’s why we chose to lead this funding round.”

Fund utilisation

In an exclusive interview with Silicon Canals, Rickard Bröms, founder, Vässla, says, “The current funding will allow Vässla to transform from a classic direct-to-consumer (DTC) retail model into a more scalable rental model with recurring revenues.”

The proceedings will go towards the launch of its Vässla Club rental platform. According to Bröms, the rental platform will be provided through the Vässla Club sharing app, which has fleet management capabilities, and users can gain access to Vässla bikes.

The Swedish micro-mobility startup will offer three separate options:

  • Vässla Club for People: A monthly subscription service for end-users
  • Vässla Club for Delivery: A weekly subscription service for delivery drivers
  • Vässla Club for Enterprises: Hourly rental service for hotels, resorts, campsites, etc.

Talking about expansion, Bröms says, “We plan to launch the first stage of our Vässla Club, Vässla Club for People, either later this year or early 2022, in Stockholm and Berlin.”

The company is also planning to pilot its recently launched Vässla Bikes in various European cities, including Berlin, Vienna, Hamburg, and Madrid. 

Further, Vässla also plans to expand into the United Kingdom market at a later date, pending government legislation on e-scooters which is due to be revealed in early 2022.

“We are currently present in Amsterdam with our beloved partner Lynk&Co and will continue to grow this partnership,” he says to Silicon Canals. 

How was Vässla born?

Annoyed by the exhausting public transport experience, Rickard Bröms bought an electric moped as a solution to get to work. 

Then, he discovered two things — Firstly, it was surprisingly difficult to find one to purchase, and secondly, it then took him 14 minutes instead of 45 minutes to get to work with the e-moped. 

This knowledge was the basis for the birth of Vässla; it was founded in 2017. 

Bröms shares, “I originally started Vässla with the intention of producing an e-moped, combining a reduced commute time with the environmental friendliness of an e-bike, but with comfort and convenience prioritised. The problem with electric pedal bikes is that your morning commute becomes a workout session – you arrive at work or your important meeting sweaty and tired. It’s no better than using packed trains or buses.”

He adds, “With Vässla, our e-moped solved a problem for the upper range of short trips, but wasn’t that optimal for the lower range. Now, with Vässla Bike, we’re fulfilling our vision to provide customers with a micro-mobility vehicle which is lighter, sleeker, and ideal for the thousands of short trips made every day.”

Challenges

With the micromobility sector expanding rapidly, the Stockholm-based micro-mobility company looks to capitalise on a unique gap in the market. 

However, the micromobility company needs to solve some problems regarding the categorisation within the micro-mobility sector, which varies with each country. 

In this regard, Bröms explains, “A challenge that we have faced is the inconsistency between countries and their respective governments about the categorisations within the micromobility sector, meaning that e-mopeds and e-bikes are classified differently from country-to-country.”

He continues, “Vässla is passionate about finding a solution to this problem, and our Vässla bike aims to earn, claim and own this emerging category between the e-bike and the e-moped, which we believe has the potential to grow to the same size as the e-bike category.

Bröms further adds, “This is an ongoing issue, however, pending government legislation in the UK is due to be revealed in early 2022, so we are heading in the right direction, which is great news!”

Image credits: Vässla

Vässla Bikes

Notably, Swedish company manufactures its e-scooters in Sweden and has been sold and active in the Nordics, Germany, Spain, and The Netherlands. 

Bröms shares, “We do not disclose any specific financial numbers, but to date we have sold approximately 5,000 Vässla Mopeds and remain the market leader in Sweden, beating the global market leader, NIU.”

Vässla Bikes have a 250 – 450W rear hub motor, a maximum speed of 20-25 km/h, a battery range of 40km, and a total weight of 21.5kg excluding the portable battery, which weighs 3.5kg and they designed themselves. 

The company offers e-mopeds in three variants – Vässla 2 (Blue), Standard Package, and Large Package. 

However, Rickard Bröms didn’t disclose the revenue projection for this financial year. “We cannot disclose financial details currently, but the ambition is high, and we aim to reach substantial volumes on all our revenue streams this year.”

At present, the company employs around 35 people. “We are currently a team of 35 employees and counting, with new employees starting every week. The focus going forward will be on hiring software developers, battery engineers, drivetrain experts, and operations managers, of which we intend to employ all over Europe,” concludes Bröms.

 - Partner content -
How cybersecurity scaleup Intigriti conquered the world?
How cybersecurity scaleup Intigriti conquered the world?
Catch our interview with Paul Down, Head of Sales at Intigriti.
Catch our interview with Paul Down, Head of Sales at Intigriti. Show Less
Read more
Tags: featuredfundingMobilityswedish startups
Share17Tweet60SendShare96

Featured events

Current Month

may

28apr(apr 28)12:1331may(may 31)12:13FeaturedApplications for Techleap.nl’s Rise Batch 8 are open now

Techleap

Event Details

Are you an ambitious scaleup operating out of the Netherlands? Accelerate your growth with Techleap.nl’s Rise programme. Join their Batch #8!

Event Details

Are you an ambitious scaleup operating out of the Netherlands? Accelerate your growth with Techleap.nl’s Rise programme. Join their Batch #8!

Rise is an exclusive programme for serious tech players. In a trusted environment, scaleup founders share and discuss their growth challenges during tailor-made sessions with experienced entrepreneurs and scaling experts. Every quarter we select 10 companies to join the programme. It’s free, and we don’t seek equity. Check now if your company is eligible!

About Techleap

Techleap.nl’s programmes connect founders with scaling icons, industry experts and fellow tech entrepreneurs. It’s your chance to share challenges and hurdles with peers and established CEOs, and as a result, create favourable growth conditions for your business and overcome looming obstacles on your entrepreneurial path.

If you have any questions about the programme or the application process, please contact the Rise Batch Manager – Peter-Jan Kok at [email protected].

Apply here.

more

Time

April 28 (Thursday) 12:13 - May 31 (Tuesday) 12:13

Learn More

CalendarGoogleCal

CIRCL, AmsterdamGustav Mahlerplein 1B, 1082 MS Amsterdam, Netherlands

19may13:3018:00Featured5th Tech Summit: Get Ready for Exponential International Growth

Event Details

The Tech Summit yearly attracts >100 SaaS executives and PE/VC investors from all over the Netherlands. Several presentations and break-outs are filled with actionable thought leadership. Networking breaks

Event Details

The Tech Summit yearly attracts >100 SaaS executives and PE/VC investors from all over the Netherlands. Several presentations and break-outs are filled with actionable thought leadership. Networking breaks allow participants to connect with industry peers, exchange best practices and have a good time.

For more information and to register for the summit, please click here.

more

Time

(Thursday) 13:30 - 18:00

Location

CIRCL, Amsterdam

Gustav Mahlerplein 1B, 1082 MS Amsterdam, Netherlands

CalendarGoogleCal

june

Taets Art and Events ParkHemskade 16, 1506 PR Zaandam

16junAll Day17FeaturedTNW Conference

Event Details

Join TNW Conference in Amsterdam on June 16 & 17 to all you need to know about the latest market killers and breakout tech, connect with the industry’s who’s-who, and

Event Details

Join TNW Conference in Amsterdam on June 16 & 17 to all you need to know about the latest market killers and breakout tech, connect with the industry’s who’s-who, and turn your business meetings upside down on our ferris wheel… With endless networking opportunities, the world’s boldest voices, and unrivaled party vibes, this year’s TNW Conference will be off the charts!

Time

june 16 (Thursday) - 17 (Friday)

Location

Taets Art and Events Park

Hemskade 16, 1506 PR Zaandam

Learn More

CalendarGoogleCal

Partner content | Work with us

European Startups can expand to Asia through the South Korean Government’s K-Startup Grand Challenge

Running a small business? These 5 tips can create a domino effect of productivity across your entire company

Triller acquires Dutch DJ Sam Feldt’s Fangage to expand its platform for creators

Sweden’s Gimi partners with Dutch bank ABN AMRO to help young people manage and understand their finances

Calling all startups aiming to test their mobility innovations in the real world: Mobility Lab 2022 registration is now open

Silicon Canals | Jobs


Breaking news from Amsterdam | Partner

Amsterdam-based Katanox raises €5.48M; appoints former MD of Google Travel as non-executive director

Rockstart and Ørsted launch accelerator programme for renewable energy startups as part of new Dutch-based Innovation Hub

Amsterdam-based Gain.pro raises €9.6M to provide critical insights of private companies and their markets

Amsterdam-based skills management software platform AG5 secures €1.2M from Peak to close the skills gap

  • About Silicon Canals
  • Partner with Silicon Canals
  • Contact us
  • Newsletter
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy (UK)
  • Cookie Policy (EU)
  • Terms & Conditions Silicon Canals

Silicon Canals 2014-2022 | Website: Bright Idiots

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Ukraine
    • Startups
    • Scaleups
    • FinTech
    • AI and chatbots
    • Travel & Mobility
    • Software & SaaS
    • Health & Medtech
    • (Crowd)funding
    • Blockchain
    • Internet of things
    • Hardware
    • Accelerators
    • E-commerce
    • Cybersecurity
    • Gaming & Virtual Reality
    • Drones
    • COVID-19
  • Features
    • How-to
    • Knowledge & Insights
    • Guest Contributions
  • Partners
    • Amsterdam
    • Rise by Techleap.nl
    • Fintech Files by AWS
    • Scaling-up in Europe
    • Blue Tulip Awards
    • Partner with us
    • Promoted content
  • Events
    • Technology Events in Europe
    • Submit your event
  • Jobs
  • About us
    • Partner with us
    • About
    • Team
    • Newsletter
  • Contact

Silicon Canals 2014-2022 | Website: Bright Idiots

Stay updated with the Silicon Canals daily and weekly newsletters.
We promise we won't spam you. You can choose to unsubscribe anytime.
Stay updated with the Silicon Canals daily and weekly newsletters.
We promise we won't spam you. You can choose to unsubscribe anytime.
Silicon Canals
Manage your privacy

To provide the best experiences, we and our partners use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us and our partners to process personal data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.

Click below to consent to the above or make granular choices. Your choices will be applied to this site only. You can change your settings at any time, including withdrawing your consent, by using the toggles on the Cookie Policy, or by clicking on the manage consent button at the bottom of the screen.

Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Statistics

Marketing

Features
Always active

Always active
Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
Manage options
{title} {title} {title}
X
X