Startup challenge: Micro-mobility
For an efficient and sustainable mobility
The Andalusian startup Solum won the Micro-mobility Startup Challenge with a car park for electric vehicles capable of accommodating bicycles and scooters. The contest was launched, through Iberdrola International Startup Programme - PERSEO, to seek safe parking and charging solutions for this type of vehicle.
The fight against climate change is one of the greatest challenges that humanity will have to face in the 21st century, for which the decarbonisation of the economy and mobility are essential. Iberdrola group has been pioneering the energy transition for 20 years and is a leader in renewable energies.
Transport is responsible for a quarter of global CO2 emissions and a large part of pollution in urban environments. For this reason, its electrification is the only way to address both problems with a common origin through electric vehicles, which improve energy use and efficiency.
Currently, the electrification of road transport, particularly in urban areas, involves the penetration of Personal Mobility Vehicles (PMVs) such as bicycles, scooters and electric motorbikes. Mobility in this type of vehicle is not only more efficient and environmentally friendly, but also greatly helps to relieve congestion in cities during heavy traffic, therefore helping to improve air quality.
For all this, in July 2021 Iberdrola — through its International Startup Programme - PERSEO — launched this challenge seeking solutions for parking, storage and charging solutions for micro-mobility that favour the electrification of urban transport. More than 80 proposals have been received.
The winner
The winner was the Andalusian technology company Solum
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The system is installed in synergy with an innovative solar hardstanding External link, opens in new window., which guarantees that the energy used in the storage and charging stations for the personal mobility vehicles (PMV) is from a renewable source.
The startup — which started its activity in 2019 with the aim of taking advantage of urban spaces to generate clean energy — already has its first stations in Seville, and has closed collaboration agreements with various mobility (sharing) operators.
Micro-mobility expansion
The explosive growth of micro-mobility makes it a key sector in the cities of the future, with an estimated value of between 300 billion and 500 billion euros by 2030, while public transport is currently losing market share.
Nowadays, most of these vehicles belong to different companies that offer sharing services for bicycles, scooters, motorbikes and mopeds, although the number of individuals or companies that decide to acquire ownership of these is also increasing significantly.
Iberdrola is committed to the electrification of transport and has an ambitious Sustainable Mobility Plan, launched in 2016, which aims, among other things, to install nearly 150,000 private electric vehicle charging points, more than 2,500 on public roads in Spain and Portugal and more than 2,300 fast, super-fast and ultra-fast charge points by 2023.
The prize
The prize will consist of us signing a collaboration agreement for the development of a proof-of-concept with PERSEO or any other relevant Iberdrola group company, who will assume the costs and provide the winner with the necessary technical support, giving access to infrastructures and real data to test the solution.
If the assay or proof of concept is satisfactory, Iberdrola may offer the participant the opportunity to scale up the solution by means of commercial agreements.
In addition, PERSEO may consider investing in the participant and/or challenge winner.
The deadline for registration was between 5 July and 31 July 2021. The winner was announced in September 2021.
