Start-up Incubator
New electro-mobility solutions are a key element for the implementation of the Paris Agreement, the Sustainable Development Goals and the New Urban Agenda. To develop those innovative and integrated solutions, cooperation between cities worldwide, industry and innovators is key. The Start-up Incubator is part of the SOLUTIONSplus project.
Start-ups in Africa
Kampala - Uganda
ZEMBO
Zembo is leading the African transition to electric mobility.
Based in Kampala, Uganda, we provide affordable (PayGo) electric two-wheelers to low-income motorcycle-taxi drivers, most known locally as “boda-boda” drivers. We offer a battery swapping service to our clients, enabling to swap within minutes at any of our stations.
Zembo is paving the way to a greener Africa with a clean alternative to the most common mode of transportation in East Africa.
Dar es Salaam - Tanzania
EKOGLOBE
EKOglobe is a growing cleantech company in Tanzania operating in the field of electric mobility and sustainable energy solutions, with the vision to lead Africa’s transition to green mobility and renewable energy. EKOglobe equips energy-vulnerable communities and taxi drivers with energy services, creating synergies between clean energy, electric mobility and agriculture to provide access to clean affordable energy services, mobility services and consumer financing.
The company designs, assembles, owns, manages, leases and retrofits electric three-wheelers while offering on-demand pick-up and delivery services, agro-centric e-mobility and charging infrastructures all powered by 100% green energy.
EKOglobe brings in a strong partnership for the project, integrating the ELICO foundation providing charging infrastructure, training of local technicians and community mobilisation, and the Germany-based company Micro Energy International supporting data evaluation and impact measurement.
Dar es Salaam - Tanzania
ZIOTIO UN Limited (Brand TRI)
Ziotio Un is an electric mobility company based in Tanzania (brand name: TRī). TRī sells smart, IoT-connected, zero-emissions electric 3-wheelers directly to professional taxi drivers in a lease-to-own scheme.
Registered in Tanzania and with a holding in the Netherlands, TRī offers a fully integrated electric mobility value chain with control on manufacturing (R&D), logistic management to market, distribution, and end-customer management, enabling quick feedback loops and continuous iterations to improve their hard- and software offerings. TRī’s solution is based on an intelligent internet connected system that offers 100% remote asset control via a web and phone app, and a Battery Management System which monitors the performance of each cell of the smart battery in real-time.
In 2022, TRI proved product-market fit for its electric 3-wheelers in Dar Es Salaam, achieving operational cost targets at 94%, established a waiting list of 30 customers for the next product shipment, and plans an increase in fleet size to 250 electric 3-wheelers.
Kigali - Rwanda
Ampersand
Founded in Kigali – Rwanda, Ampersand builds affordable electric motorcycles (e-motos) and charging systems to help Rwanda and Africa leapfrog towards a zero-carbon future. Ampersand offers local motorcycle taxis drivers a cost-convenient, more profitable and cleaner alternative to petrol motorcycles.
Kigali - Rwanda
GUARIDE
GURARIDE, founded in 2017, is a Green E-mobility public bike-share (PBS) transport system company. GURARIDE is committed to the sustainability of micro-mobility in Africa, with Rwanda being its first entry point. It employs a multimodal micro-mobility solution in a single app to enable users to choose their ride preference.
Dar es Salaam - Tanzania
AUTO-TRUCK
Auto-truck prides itself in Mitigating Climate Change through the Adoption of Green Energy Technology by Introduction of Electric 3 wheelers, Mini-cabs for Light Transportation in Major Towns and Cities in Dar, Tanzania as well as offering climate action services among other line products.
Dar es Salaam - Tanzania
SESCOM
Sustainable Energy Service Company (SESCOM) Limited, focused on efficient production and use of electricity, its collaborating with other two partner companies from Tanzania, Dar es Salaam Rapid Transit (DART), and Jiwe-Kubwa Automobile Company to further develop electric mobility in their country.
Lome - Togo
MANA Mobility
Our ambition with the MANA bike was to create an electric bike (eBike) specifically designed to meet the unique needs of the African context. To bring this vision to fruition, we employed a human-centered design framework, engaging in a series of design sprint workshops and testing different prototype iterations in Ghana. These workshops meticulously considered local needs and demands, involving conversations with over 1000 individuals spanning all regions of Ghana. By designing with their unique requirements in mind and considering the challenges posed by local road conditions, we ensured the bike's suitability for the region. Furthermore, gender inclusivity principles were factored in our design process, addressing the typical lack of female-oriented electric vehicles. Additionally, a circular economy approach was adopted, embracing sustainable practices where feasible throughout the design journey.
Start-ups in Asia
Hanoi - Vietnam
QIQ
QIQ – Elevate Mobility has a mission: to build a green, sustainable, shared transportation system for Vietnam. It is passionate about making a positive change in transportation in a sustainable and climate friendly way and they do this by providing shared micro-mobility across a connected mobile app. Users will be able to book, rent, use and travel with electric micro-mobility vehicle across Vietnam and eventually South East Asia (SEA). QIQ – Elevate Mobility believes in helping the cities’ transit into a climate friendly transport infrastructure.
Pasig - Philippines
Tojo Motors Corporation
ToJo Motors Corporation (‘ToJo Motors’) is a 100% Filipino-owned company that develops modern technologies, operates after-sales facilities and service centres, and sells key components for green transportation. ToJo Motors specialises in the production of electric vehicles (three and four-wheelers) that can be used to cover the needs of hotel and resorts, cities municipalities and barangays, real estate developments, or of schools and campuses.
Kathmandu - Nepal
Shree Eco-Visionary
Shree Eco Visionary Pvt. Ltd (SEV) was established in Nepal in 2008. Its goal is the promotion of electric vehicles that can be fuelled by clean hydro power produced domestically. This would lower the Nepal’s dependency on imported fossil fuel while preventing the release of harmful greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere.
Pasig - Philippines
Clean Energy International
Shree Eco Visionary Pvt. Ltd (SEV) was established in Nepal in 2008. Its goal is the promotion of electric vehicles that can be fuelled by clean hydro power produced domestically. This would lower the Nepal’s dependency on imported fossil fuel while preventing the release of harmful greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere.
Start-ups in Latin America
Montevideo - Uruguay
Cargo Bike
Cargo Bike was founded in Montevideo, Uruguay, and its objective is to promote cargo bikes as mobility alternative in Uruguay. To tackle the lack of affordable cargo bikes in Montevideo, Cargo Bike aims to develop and produce Long John type cargo bikes for the local market. To this end, it designs its vehicles by repurposing disused bicycles and combining them with standard components available locally. A first prototype has been developed and tested for over a year with excellent results. Cargo Bike has now developed two different models of bikes, produced 5 E-cargo bikes and created a monitoring app.
Montevideo - Uruguay
Wheele
Wheele’s proposal encompasses the manufacturing of 3 cargo tricycles; the tricycles are made with imported parts and national assembly recycled from cigarette butts. For example, the cargo box is made in Uruguay with 100% recycled material. At a second stage, a local plan of adaptations to the box (also made with 100% recycled material) will be developed to accommodate different types of uses. It is technically feasible to manufacture the drawer or container from recycled materials. Pressing is the right technique to create the plates that make up the walls of the drawers: cigarette butts, being a small waste of low volume and weight, could not be used in their entirety to make the plates.
Montevideo - Uruguay
Green Star
Green Star aims to develop two utility e-tricycles with a unique design based on two front wheels and one rear wheel. To reduce the environmental footprint of transport, Green Star will convert their highly successful internal combustion engine tricycle in a e-vehicle. Moreover, Green Star’s choice to use second life batteries will increase the sustainability of their e-vehicles even more. Finally, Green Star will introduce a use case on provision of services.
Quito - Ecuador
Plural
PLURAL is an ecuadorian firm with more than 10 years of experience in applied social research, social development projects, social intervention and public policy construction, from a human rights, gender, sustainability and innovation, inclusion and social participation perspective. Together with Bixi Cargo and Tacuri Bicycle, Plural has created “E-Cargo bike”, a strategic alliance that, through knowledge transfer, aims to improve the technical capacity of local actors and existing organisations in the field of urban micro-logistic.