As the world’s first micromobility software platform, Joyride is familiar with breaking ground in new territory. Today, we’re announcing the official opening of our European headquarters based out of London, UK. The expansion gives us a designated operational presence in Europe as shared mobility services continue to transform urban transportation.
By establishing a third office, Joyride’s operations now span three continents—North America, Europe and Asia. The kick-off of a UK arm comes after enabling the region’s first scooter-share, Ginger, to successfully launch in July 2020. From that time, we’ve implemented compliance-related software tools, such as in-app ID verification for scooter rentals, while working alongside the UK Department for Transport (DFT) to provide data to inform policy decisions on the future of mobility.
“Our move to officially establish a foothold in the UK comes as interest from the region is at an all-time high, both in terms of our customer base and government collaboration,” says Joyride Founder and CEO Vince Cifani. “We’re fielding multiple requests from prospective operators across the UK and Europe on a daily basis, and having a dedicated presence right in London puts Joyride at the heart of where the action is happening.”
Joyride’s European arm is being led by a newly appointed Head of Customer Experience, who will work closely with operators both on a local and global scale. “With the introduction of Joyride Alliance in December, a community of entrepreneurs is forming around a shared need for things like micromobility insurance, RFP writing and group-buying deals for vehicles,” Cifani adds. “Since the Alliance is open and free to our customers, it felt appropriate to headline our office expansion with a customer-focused approach.”
In terms of micromobility expansion, the European market is ripe. Pre-dating (and especially during) the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s been an influx of cities turning to electric scooters, bikes, mopeds and charging stations in order to move people around safely and in an environmentally sustainable way. While the global micromobilty market is expected to not only recover from the pandemic but see an uptick in growth, Europe is already off to a head start with an unprecedented number of newly introduced bike lanes—not to mention venture funding rounds. Pitchbook data shows investors have injected $371 million into US micromobility firms since the start of 2020, while European rivals have raised a staggering $687 million.
Major markets like France, Denmark and Germany have already regulated electric vehicle modes of transport. And in the UK and Ireland, new legislation is pushing pilot programs into city epicenters. Edinburgh, for one, is well underway with its 10-year transformation project, which will see the city center become largely car-free by 2030.
While the UK continues to welcome scooter-sharing schemes following the government’s accelerated rollout, electric scooters will soon be legal in Ireland without car tax, insurance or a driver’s license, the government recently said. A proposed new law would also reclassify electric bikes “mainly in the same way as pedal cycles,” while more powerful models will be classified as light mopeds.
“Joyride’s roots actually stem from the UK,” adds Cifani. “Back in 2016, our head office was located in London, where we were part of the Startupbootcamp accelerator. During that time, we worked on projects with the Future Cities Catapult and the London Cycling Campaign to help improve the lives of cyclists. So it feels great to be officially back as the world-leading micromobility platform and a lot of momentum behind us.”
Joyride’s turnkey platform currently enables micromobility operators to launch, manage and scale their fleets in more than 100 global markets. For more information about how to reach and/or join our growing team, contact us today by clicking here.
