Nineteen startups have been selected from 41 applications for Mobility Lab 2022, a startup programme in the field of mobility. The programme pairs selected startups "Don't bullshit but test!" with an initial customer. This allows the startups to prove their innovation in practice.
For the sixth edition of Mobility Lab, startups from both home and abroad applied. Of the selected startups, 10 are from the Netherlands. The nine remaining startups are from Belgium, the UK, Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Turkey, Singapore and America. The startups will test their innovations during the nine-month programme in the regions of Rotterdam, North Brabant, Limburg and Utrecht.
Sustainability plays major role
Sustainability is at the heart of several entries for the ninth edition of Mobility Lab. Examples include 100% fossil-free, off-grid charging hubs for electric cars and trucks. However, think also of revolutionary high-pressure air motors to propel all vehicles and vessels currently running or sailing on diesel, petrol or gas. Another selected startup is working on a smartly deployable and easily transportable solar panel. This should make solar energy accessible everywhere.
Safety
Safety also features in many startups. For example, one startup is taking part that wants to make docking at a quay or lock safer using a sensor solution. Another startup ensures that data is communicated reliably and securely between machines and infrastructure. Also participating are startups that want to make driving experiences more pleasant and safer. This by making drivers aware of, for example, fatigue, aggression, anxiety and distractions while driving.
Partial transport
A third topic returning to Mobility Lab 2022 is shared transport. Think of offering neighbourhood parking with shared transport, but also delivery of customised electric shared cars from a postcode pool. Another example is a SaaS platform for organising and optimising shuttle services for employees. The system allows, among other things, to accurately record the CO2 emissions and reduction of employee transport. This will be mandatory from January 2023 for companies with more than 100 employees.
The following startups have been selected for Mobility Lab 2022:
- Buus Mobility - A SaaS platform for organising and optimising shuttle services.
- Opsis Emotion AI - helps make drivers aware of, for example, fatigue or emotions while driving.
- Optiyol - provides route optimisation and stands out with autonomous planning of efficient and practical routes.
- Real-time Road Inspection - records in real-time from a car the current state of the road or public space for the purpose of road maintenance.
- Bia - develops smart charging software for monitoring and optimising the charging of electric vehicles, aiming to make charging greener.
- Sensor Maritime - offers a sensor solution that makes docking of inland vessels at a quay or lock safer.
- Neighbourhood parking - provides neighbourhood-level parking facilities filled with shared transport, such as bicycles, e-bikes, deliverybikes, cargobikes and e-scooters.
- Student Mobility - provides mobility solutions for international students in the Netherlands.
- Swugo - offers a subscription service for making an existing bike electric, including maintenance.
- CMS (Crowd Management Service) - a mobility dashboard for understanding crowds or predicting expected crowds in a specific area or location.
- THEO UG - a semi-autonomous delivery robot suitable for cycle paths and a maximum load of 100kg.
- FlexiModal - produces two self-designed bicycle carts for professional users aiming at last mile transport.
- WingDriver.inc - offers an app that supports driver safety using vision and eye analysis.
- Green Caravan - develops 100% fossil-free charging hubs for both electric cars and trucks. These hubs are separate from the electricity grid.
- Levante - makes energy accessible via an easily transportable, foldable, origami-inspired solar panel.
- MyMove - offers opportunities for car dealers, car renters and organisations with a corporate or service fleet to efficiently share or rent out their fleet.
- Solution Air - offers a high-pressure air engine that runs emission-free on air.
- ANGOKA - provides cybersecurity solutions for achieving secure connections.
- APPACAR - delivers customised electric shared cars from a postcode pool.
Speed dates with launching customers
Selected startups are linked to launching customers by Mobility Lab through speed dates. These are parties that have a specific mobility problem for which innovation can provide a solution. Together, the parties develop a customised innovation pilot, after which the mobility solution is tested in practice.
"Once again, we are surprised by the creativity of the startups for this 6th edition of Mobility Lab! Practical applications and solutions that can make the lives of Dutch people healthier and more liveable. We do see a trend: more solutions for parts of mobility concepts, but less disruptive concepts as a whole. We are going to use that insight to keep the upcoming editions of Mobility Lab relevant," said Hans Stevens of the Municipality of Rotterdam, which founded Mobility Lab in 2017.
'Giving startups a boost'
"Mobility Lab will introduce the startups to more than 100 different companies and governments in the coming months. These include Ahoy Rotterdam, Achmea, Brabant Mobility Network and Zuid-Limburg Bereikbaar. It is a nice mix of organisations that welcome smart mobility and want to give the startups a big push. The selected startups will thus eventually contribute to a smarter mobility system and thus to a safer, cleaner, more sustainable and more accessible Netherlands," says Paul Bevers, Innovation and Development Team Leader of the SmartwayZ.NL programme.
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
Photo: Pixabay / thistleAPPArath
