Recently, the Dutch Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) platform, uMob, has raised €6 million from multiple investors. uMob’s platform seamlessly integrates shared mobility, taxis, and popular public transportation options such as Felyx and Go Sharing bikes into a single user-friendly app. This funding round comes after a €2 million raise in 2022, which coincided with the platform’s exciting launch.
This funding injection will propel uMob to lead the charge in enhancing the appeal and accessibility of alternative mobility options beyond private vehicles and also European expansion. By scaling its operations internationally, uMob aims to cater to a broader audience and significantly impact the way people approach and utilise diverse forms of transportation.
One-stop shop mobility app
Founded in 2021 by Raymon Pouwels and Bibi Jorissen, former leaders in the mobility industry, uMob is based in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. The company is on a mission to aid municipalities in coordinating and encouraging the adoption of shared transportation. uMob collaborates closely with municipalities, providers, and businesses, playing a significant role in identifying optimal mobility hub locations, facilitating discussions between providers, and facilitating data exchange.
Further, the platform offers users access to various modes of transportation, including public transport, taxis, and shared options like scooters, bicycles, and cars, all accessible through a unified account. By providing this integrated approach, uMob aims to alleviate issues such as traffic congestion, emissions, and excessive parked vehicles, presenting a viable alternative to individual vehicle ownership. The app’s integration with multiple carriers ensures users have convenient transportation options within walking distance.
How does the uMob app work?
The recently introduced uMob app, accessible on Android and iOS devices, consolidates various travel choices within the Netherlands into a single platform. It permits users to plan, book, and complete their trips seamlessly through the app, eliminating the need to navigate individual provider applications. Alongside public transport and taxi services, the app integrates all shared transportation options for users’ convenience.
Raymon Pouwels, co-founder uMob, added: “To make shared mobility a good alternative to private transportation, which is a frequent source of pollution, the cause of ever-increasing traffic jams, and more and more full parking lots – there must always be a vehicle at your disposal within a three-minute walk. Due to factors such as regulations, a transportation provider can’t manage this on its own. A MaaS app makes all the difference here: with all providers in one app, you always have a transportation option within walking distance.”
Bibi Jorissen, co-founder uMob, said: “Offering a large and diverse range of services is only one aspect important to the success of shared transport. Practical elements such as parking spaces, hotspots and nuisances are at least as important. With the anonymised data and knowledge we collect from all carriers and travel movements, we are a central stakeholder to municipalities, providers and companies. Together we must ensure that we are shaping the transportation of the future in the right way.”
