Press contacts
EUSP: Grégory Merly, tel. : +336 58 88 80 95 gregory@startupsprize.eu
EIB: Lorenzo Squintani, tel. : +352437982528 l.squintani@eib.org
Website: www.eib.org/press – Press: +352 4379 21000 – press@eib.org
During these unprecedented times of the Coronavirus, we are obviously all thinking about our health, our families, our business continuity and our economy at large. Yet, some companies have managed to reach out and adapt their services to the particular societal needs of the hour. We are extremely proud of some of our past EUSP winners who have shown agility and leadership in tackling the current situation, even from confinement. Here are three examples of startups from our two previous editions who are providing dedicated mobility service for essential workers during the crisis:
Free-floating e-scooters platform, CityScoot, has launched a feature called CityHelp for caregivers in Paris and Nice. The feature offers caregivers in these respective cities 30 minutes every day for FREE. This allows caregivers who do not own their own vehicle to avoid public transport and commute on their own. If you happen to know a caregiver in one of these cities, invite them to register here.
On-demand shuttle mobility platform Shotl, has launched a new innovative product that helps cities adapt their fleets to facilitate the mobility of – and only of – essential workers. The product permits buses to avoid unnecessary stops, limit their capacity and restricts access only to authorised passengers. This idea could also feed into the debate of the lockdown exit strategy, in which we will probably see a gradual release based on criteria which governments will be determining.
Finally, Karhoo, typically a B2B marketplace for taxi services, has just offered the British and French governments to use its platform in order to provide critical staff with access to state-sponsored transport service. Once again, by ensuring that high-risk populations avoid public transport, we can slow down the spread of the pandemic. And even if they own their own cars, driving after an endless shift at the hospital is not necessarily the best idea. The least we can do to thank them is to send them home comfortably to get some rest.
But the challenge is not just about helping essential workers commute; it’s also about ensure essential goods reach their destinations. Cocolis is a peer-to-peer delivery service, active in France. The company is currently recruiting volunteers volunteers to transport urgent materials to hospitals, nursing homes, and people in need, using its sharing platform. If you want to volunteer or ask for help, join their dedicated request platform.
All of these initiatives are a testament that our startup community is not only thinking about their own survival but also about contributing and showing solidarity during these difficult times. We applaud their innovation and their support for front-line essential workers across our societies. While our startups are looking for solutions for the health crisis, we are looking at how we can support our startups during the economic crisis of the day after. That is why, this year for the first time, we will create investment opportunities for our startup community from both EU institutional funds and private ones.
This could also be another reason for you to apply for this year’s edition (if you haven’t already). Apply by the end of April and show to the world how your innovation can disrupt mobility, making it smarter, cleaner, and more inclusive – whether at times of crisis or normalcy.
Written by Yash Das Sharma & Dan Sobovitz
Good news seems rare these days so when we have some, we’re delighted to share it with our community! We just reached an agreement with the biggest multilateral financial institution in the world and one of the largest providers of climate finance; the European Investment Bank (EIB).
The EIB will review the candidate startups of the EUSP 2018, 2019, and 2020 editions in search for companies that can participate in its Future Mobility programme. Those selected by the EIB, will be invited for a dedicated pitching session of EUSP startups. You heard correctly; by applying to this year’s EUSP, you get a chance to pitch in front of those who can make things happen. Don’t stress, we’ll be there to coach and prepare you!
This is yet another way for us at the EUSP to promote Europe’s most promising startups in the field of clean mobility. This could also be another reason for you to apply for this year’s edition (if you haven’t already). Given the Coronavirus crisis, we have extended the deadline for application until 30 April.
Stay home, stay healthy, and we hope to see you soon!
In case you somehow missed it, on Thursday we gathered the entire EUSP ecosystem in Berlin’s Drivery to kickstart the 2020 edition. In front of a packed room of Berliner startups, we held pitches and roundtables among our founders, partners, and judges. But the highlight of the evening was undoubtedly when we counted down to the launch of the Prize application platform. Yes, you heard correctly, you can now use our Agorize platform to submit your application to this year’s EU Startup Prize. The platform will remain open until 31.3.2020.
If you believe in your startup’s ability to disrupt mobility and make it cleaner, smarter, and safer – don’t wait, Apply NOW.
Meanwhile, here are some of the evening’s highlights:
Berlin, 20.02.2020
The EU Startup Prize community has met with the Berlin tech ecosystem for an evening of conference, networking and to open together the application process of its 2020 edition.
150 startupers, investors and transportation companies were attending the venue. A unique occasion to tell those startups why the European level should be their market and how the EU Startup Prize will help them scale up in this direction.
The EU level, leaded by its founder, Karima Delli, member of the European Parliament and Chairwoman of the Transports Committee, together with representatives of EU bodies (European Investment Bank) and EU-funded programmes for innovation (SESAR, Shift2Rail) explained to the startupers how they can accelerate startups’ development and cooperation.
Big European corporations such as Groupe ADP, RATP group, Europcar Mobility Group, GRDF, TomTom; when the co-founders of the EU Startup Prize, BCG and Via ID, underlined the multiple ways of helping startups to grow and the value of our community for sustainable mobility.
Most importantly the Challenge 2020 is now open: European startups and startups from the associated countries of the programme Horizon 2020 are now invited to apply to our new Prize. They have 6 weeks to complete their registration.
But first step first, the applications are now open at the following link:
https://www.agorize.com/fr/challenges/eu-startupprize/
In exactly one week, the European Starup Prize for Mobility will open its third edition. Right before we start taking new applications from startups across Europe, let’s take stock of the past two editions; who were the winners and front-runners? What countries did they come from? What sector of mobility did they focus on? How advanced were they? Read on, we’ve got you covered…
What moves you?
We recognised a wide distribution of services and products. However, there does seem to be a tend towards B2B services for urban mobility. Sartups clearly recognise the dire need of more and more cities to provide better, smarter, and cleaner mobility solutions and the prefernce of comuters to consume mobility services rather than owning them.
Where’s home?
As enthusiast Europeans, we like to think that Europe is a whole is our home and playground (and we indeed received applications from all 28 EU Member States). And yet, it was interesting to see where the top performers come from.
We notice a concentration of top performers in Western Europe (both Nordic and Mediterranean), following a loose correlation with levels of wealth and development.
What next?
These figures are an interesting indication of the pace and direction of European innovation. However, this year could still prove very different. First, we expanded the eligibility of the startups (slightly) beyond the EU. This year, we welcome startups from across the EU as well as all assciated countries with the EU Horizon2020 programme. These include strong performers like Israel, Turkey, Norway, and Switzerland. (Oh yeah, and the UK, as far as we’re concerned, you’re still part of the European club! 😊)
Finally, for the first time we’re kicking-off this year’s edition from Berlin, the beating heart of the German ecosystem but also geographically closer to central and eastern Europe. We know there’s tremendous potential of talent and innovation all across this region, which is yet to be revealed. We therefore hope that our voice will be heard even louder this year and that we’ll get more applications from the newer EU Member States as well.
With this in mind, we can’t wait to see where the 3rd edition of the European Startup Prize for Mobility will take us! Who will be the front-runners of this year? Where will they come from? What will they focus on? That’ sup to you! Apply for the 2020 edition between 20.02.2020 and 31.3.2020.
Europe is your playground. We’re just here to boost your game.
are delighted to invite you to the press conference of the EU Startup Prize for mobility (EUSP), at 5:15 pm on the 20 February 2020, at the @Drivery, prior their Opening Ceremony of the EUSP Challenge 2020.
2020 is the 3RD edition of the EU Startup Prize for mobility:
– in 2018, 500 startups applied for this prestigious Prize of the EU
– in 2019, 570 startups took a chance for the second edition
– in 2020, the story is not written yet…
Why Berlin?
“There has been a crush between the EUSP and the vibrant Berlin tech ecosystem since we have created the Prize in 2018.”, said Karima Delli, Chairwoman of the Transports Committee at the European Parliament. Indeed, Germany is the 3rd country sending the most startups last year, with 34 proud representatives after France (130) and Spain (36) and right before the UK (24) and Italy (17).
Our Kick-off event shows already 250 startups, venture capitals and big transportation companies registered from all over Europe.
After the giant fundraising of Blablacar in 2018 (200 million euros) and Bolt last year (175 million dollars), who is going to be the next in line?
“We select every year the 10 best startups for sustainable mobility in Europe. Our selection criteria compare business models of startups as well as their environmental and social impact.”, says Jean-François Dhinaux, CMO and Strategy at Via-ID.
Then, the EUSP helps the 10 winners to scale up in Europe, via a 6 month acceleration programme.
“Boston Consulting Group commits every year to provide a pro bono mentoring for the top winners : we help them to sharpen their strategy and expand their business into new countries..“, underlines Joël Hazan, Partner and Managing Director at the Boston Consulting Group.
Countries, tech ecosystems, labs from big corporations, incubators are therefore preparing their best candidate for the 2020 Challenge. Our key dates for them:
– 20 February 2020: applications open
– 31 Mars 2020: applications close
– 24 April 2020: announcement of the Top 50
– 26 May 2020: announcement of the Top 10
– 11 June 2020: Grand Ceremony at Vivatech (Paris)
Come and meet the European startups who dream of winning the 2020 edition, our founders, partners as well as members of the Jury.
– Press conference will take place @Drivery: 5:15pm => 5:45pm
– Kick-off event: 6:00pm => 7:30pm
– Networking Cocktail: 7:30pm => 8:30pm
Contact:
Grégory Merly, Managing Director
gregory@startupsprize.eu
+336 58 88 80 95
Website: https://startupprize.eu/
Press kit: https://startupprize.eu/press-page-the-prize-2020/
Programme of the Kick-off event: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/eu-startup-prize-for-mobility-2020-kickoff-ceremony-tickets-90654972463
Follow us on Social Media: #EUSPformobility
APPLY 20 February 2020 – 30 April 2020 Submissions open for startups to apply
TOP 50 June 2020 50 startups selected
TOP 10 July 2020 10 winners announced (Prize ceremony rescheduled due to the current events, date and place to be confirmed)
