GreenBikeMe Exceeds Collection Goal and Now Aims for €400,000

GreenBikeMe, a startup founded in Novara by serial entrepreneur Guido Bovolenta, was the first to identify a segment of tourism that has not yet been manned internationally: high-quality e-bike rentals combined with the provision of experiences.

Bovolenta founded Medialab, one of the first New Media Agencies, which recently, after 20 years, was sold to the Merkat Group.

Read more about GreenBikeMe and find the most important financial news of the day with the Born2Invest mobile app.

GreenBikeMe’s successful capital raising

The model was successfully tested last season on the Dodecanese islands in Greece and is also finding favor with investors. In fact, the capital raising, launched on the crowd-investing platform Ecomill, has reached the goal of €200,000 and is now aiming for €400,000.

Investors include both individuals and businesses. The company that owns the XP Bikes brand (GreenBikeMe’s industrial partner), a Milanese holding company, and an English company have also joined the membership. Former professional cyclist Valerio Lenzi (co-owner of the Lenzi Bike store, the largest in Italy) also believed in the project and is now a partner.

The first 26 investors who entered are banking on the company’s ability to develop internationally and quickly. In fact, as early as next summer, services will be extended to other Greek islands and–depending on the final outcome of the collection–will also be offered in some Italian and Spanish locations.

A business model for international customers and tour operators

GreenBikeMe fills a gap in supply, as there are no international renters, neither in tourist resorts nor in cities of art.

In tourist resorts, in fact, the service is offered by non-specialized local operators who rent low-quality e-bikes to keep investment down.

In cities of art, it is true that bike-sharing is emerging and some hotels offer bikes and e-bikes to their customers, but tour operators and hotel chains do not have unique interlocutors, either nationally or internationally.

GreenBikeMe’s model, on the other hand, allows it to operate multi-location and multi-country, exploiting economies of scale and thus ensuring, for consumer customers, high-quality standards at competitive prices and, for business customers, a single, international interlocutor for major tourist destinations.

In tourist destinations, the company offers premium E-Bikes for rent, either directly through its own store or also through selected hotels. In addition, group excursions are offered to customers to enable them to explore their chosen tourist location in a safe and environmentally friendly manner.

In art cities, e-Bikes and excursions, led by guides and designed for couples or small groups, are offered through specialized agencies or directly at high-end hotels. For each city, therefore, no stores are provided, only storage facilities for bike storage and maintenance.

The green vocation

But GreenBikeMe also focuses on sustainability and puts it at the center of its business. In fact, it has chosen to qualify as a Benefit startup.

In addition to the green offer of rental and excursion services through high-quality e-bikes, sustainability is ensured by the company’s choices: from the proper disposal of spent batteries, to the choice of electric vans for transporting Ebikes to affiliated hotels, to reducing the consumption of paper and plastic to the bare minimum.

__

(Featured image by u_d7hddm5o via Pixabay)

DISCLAIMER: This article was written by a third party contributor and does not reflect the opinion of Born2Invest, its management, staff or its associates. Please review our disclaimer for more information.

This article may include forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “estimate,” “become,” “plan,” “will,” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks as well as uncertainties, including those discussed in the following cautionary statements and elsewhere in this article and on this site. Although the Company may believe that its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, the actual results that the Company may achieve may differ materially from any forward-looking statements, which reflect the opinions of the management of the Company only as of the date hereof. Additionally, please make sure to read these important disclosures.

First published in Crowdfunding buzz, a third-party contributor translated and adapted the article from the original. In case of discrepancy, the original will prevail.

Although we made reasonable efforts to provide accurate translations, some parts may be incorrect. Born2Invest assumes no responsibility for errors, omissions or ambiguities in the translations provided on this website. Any person or entity relying on translated content does so at their own risk. Born2Invest is not responsible for losses caused by such reliance on the accuracy or reliability of translated information. If you wish to report an error or inaccuracy in the translation, we encourage you to contact us.