The Micromobility Podcast

Micromobility Industries
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Welcome to Micromobility, a podcast exploring the disruption that comes from new lightweight utility vehicles. Using the history of computing as a framework, we unpack what business models and impacts we’re likely to see in transport in cities.

  1. How Veo Built a Profitable Shared Micromobility Company with Candice Xie, Co-founder and CEO of Veo

    6D AGO

    How Veo Built a Profitable Shared Micromobility Company with Candice Xie, Co-founder and CEO of Veo

    In this episode of the Micromobility Podcast, Prabin Joel Jones sits down with Candice Xie, Co-founder and CEO of Veo, to explore how a company that raised just $16 million built one of the only genuinely EBIT-positive shared micromobility businesses in the United States. Candice walks through Veo's journey from a garage in Chicago to over $50 million in revenue, covering the decision to build their own hardware, why starting on university campuses was the right call, and what operational discipline actually looks like in a business this hard to make profitable.  The conversation also covers Veo's expanding vehicle lineup, the thinking behind keeping field operations in-house, and how they won the largest exclusive micromobility contract in the United States with Denver this year. Topics covered:• Raising less and building more• Hardware, accessibility and the case for a broader vehicle lineup• The campus-first market entry strategy• How Veo reached EBIT profitability• Why in-house operations matter more than most operators admit• The Denver exclusive contract and long-term city partnerships• What comes next for Veo in North America and beyond

    49 min
  2. Bikeshare 101 with Kristian Brink, CEO of Urban Sharing - Part 2

    MAR 25

    Bikeshare 101 with Kristian Brink, CEO of Urban Sharing - Part 2

    In this episode of the Micromobility Podcast, Prabin Joel Jones speaks with Kristian Brink, CEO of Urban Sharing about how bike share is evolving from rapid expansion to smarter, more sustainable operations. From rebuilding Urban Sharing after COVID to unpacking global trends across Europe and Latin America, this conversation explores what is actually driving the next phase of micromobility. In this episode: Why software is becoming the backbone of bike shareThe shift from growth to operational efficiencyMadrid vs Berlin and what policy means for operatorsWhere global bike share is really growingHow AI and better tools will shape the futureWhy hardware innovation still lagsListen now for a clear view of where the industry is headed.

    52 min
  3. Building Zeus Scooters and Acquiring Superpedestrian with Damian Young, Founder & CEO

    MAR 16

    Building Zeus Scooters and Acquiring Superpedestrian with Damian Young, Founder & CEO

    In this episode of the Micromobility Podcast, Damian Young, Founder and CEO of Zeus Scooters, joins the show to discuss the company’s journey from launching in smaller European cities to acquiring the assets of Superpedestrian. Zeus took a different path from many micromobility operators. Instead of chasing mega-cities and raising massive venture rounds, the company focused on smaller markets, built its own three-wheel scooter design, and maintained strict financial discipline. Now, with the acquisition of Superpedestrian’s assets, Zeus is entering a new phase of scale. The conversation covers the strategic thinking behind operating in tier-2 and tier-3 cities, how unit economics actually work in micromobility, why “rides per day” can be a misleading metric, and what the future of consolidation in the industry might look like. Damian also shares lessons from building through one of the toughest cycles the micromobility industry has seen. Topics covered • The founding story of Zeus Scooters• Why Zeus focused on smaller cities instead of mega markets• The strategy behind three-wheel shared scooters• Unit economics and price optimization in micromobility• EBITDA vs EBIT and profitability in the sector• Why many micromobility companies failed• The hidden impact of insurance costs• Acquiring Swings, Zipp, and Superpedestrian assets• What the next phase of consolidation could look like

    59 min
  4. ALSO - Rivian's Big Bet on Micromobility with Chris Yu, Co-founder & President of ALSO

    MAR 9

    ALSO - Rivian's Big Bet on Micromobility with Chris Yu, Co-founder & President of ALSO

    On this week’s Micromobility Podcast, Prabin Joel Jones sits down with Chris Yu, Co-Founder and President of ALSO, the Rivian spin-off bringing a fresh wave of ambition into micromobility. Chris explains why ALSO was created, why Rivian saw an opportunity beyond cars, and why the company believes smaller electric vehicles will play a central role in the future of transportation. They dive into ALSO’s new products, including the TMB e-bike and TMQ pedal quad, and unpack the thinking behind the company’s vertically integrated, software-defined approach. The conversation covers DreamRide pedal-by-wire technology, custom motors, battery safety, modular design, predictive maintenance, distribution strategy, and why Chris believes micromobility is far from a saturated market. They also discuss urban transformation, mode shift, quick commerce, and why Chris sees a massive global opportunity across both consumer and commercial vehicles. Topics covered: Why Rivian launched ALSOThe meaning behind the ALSO nameWhy “small is inevitable”The TMB e-bike and TMQ pedal quadDreamRide pedal-by-wire technologyWhy ALSO built its own motors, battery system, display, and software stackPredictive maintenance and EV-style diagnosticsDirect-to-consumer vs retail distributionEurope vs US market opportunityA message for founders still building in micromobility

    53 min
  5. Micromobility in London with Will Norman

    MAR 2

    Micromobility in London with Will Norman

    In this episode of the Micromobility Podcast, host Prabin Joel Jones (CEO, Micromobility Industries) sits down with Will Norman, London’s Walking and Cycling Commissioner, to unpack how one of the world’s biggest cities is reshaping its streets for people. Will explains why his job title exists in the first place, and why the real mission is bigger than bike lanes: making streets safer, integrating micromobility with the Tube and buses, and keeping London competitive as a global city. What you’ll hear in this conversation- How London went from ~90 km to 400+ km of cycleways and what it actually takes to deliver change at city scale- The “recipe” Will credits for progress: political courage, funding, technical expertise, campaigning communities, and data- Why the biggest barrier to mode shift is still safety and what London is doing under Vision Zero- The impact of 20 mph zones, safer street design, and London’s Direct Vision Standard for trucks- Why London still can’t properly regulate dockless shared bikes (and what’s changing with new legislation)- The truth about shared e-bikes in London: it’s not just the number of bikes, it’s where they are and how they’re managed- The governance challenge of London’s many boroughs, and why “border cut-offs” for shared bikes can be dangerous- Why shared e-scooters haven’t scaled like e-bikes (yet), and what needs to happen next- What’s coming in micromobility: cargo bikes, new form factors, and future-proof regulation- Will’s message to city officials worldwide trying to drive similar change: be brave, stay positive, prove it with data, and bring communities with you We also get into why cities like Paris and Brussels are pushing London to move faster, and why that global competition is healthy.

    53 min
  6. Past, Present, and Future of Micromobility with Kersten Heineke, McKinsey

    FEB 23

    Past, Present, and Future of Micromobility with Kersten Heineke, McKinsey

    In this episode of the Micromobility Podcast, Prabin Joel Jones, CEO of Micromobility Industries, sits down with Kersten Heineke, Partner and Co-Lead at the McKinsey Center for Future Mobility, to explore the past, present, and future of micromobility. The conversation traces the evolution of the industry from the early scooter boom years of 2018 and 2019 to today’s more disciplined, operations-focused market. They discuss how the shift from growth at all costs to profitability reshaped shared micromobility, including improvements in vehicle durability, total cost of ownership, battery swapping, and city collaboration through tenders and fleet caps. Kersten explains how McKinsey modeled the total addressable market for micromobility and what the projected 340 billion dollar opportunity by 2030 really represents. The discussion goes beyond scooters and bikes to include microcars, quadricycles, and new urban form factors that could unlock additional car trip replacement. The episode also explores why navigation remains a challenge for micromobility users, whether operators should rethink their business models, and how platforms like Uber, Bolt, and Lyft approach micromobility differently. Looking ahead, the conversation turns to autonomy. Will robotaxis lead to smaller, purpose-built urban vehicles? Could autonomous fleets reshape the role of micromobility in cities? And what does this mean for founders, investors, and policymakers building the next decade of urban mobility? Topics covered: • The shift from land-grab expansion to operational discipline• How vehicle design and TCO changed the economics of scooters• Fleet caps, tenders, and city regulation• The 340B micromobility market opportunity• Microcars and new vehicle categories• Platform strategy in mobility• The intersection of micromobility and autonomous vehicles Articles referenced in the episode:1. https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-explainers/what-is-micromobility2. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/automotive-and-assembly/our-insights/spotlight-on-mobility-trends#section-header-53. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/automotive-and-assembly/our-insights/the-two-wheeled-commute-micromobility-and-your-future

    57 min
  7. Talking Tier, SPIN and Mobility with Philip Reinckens, ex-CEO of SPIN

    FEB 16

    Talking Tier, SPIN and Mobility with Philip Reinckens, ex-CEO of SPIN

    What did the micromobility “gold rush” actually feel like from the inside—and what lessons still matter in 2026? In this episode of the Micromobility Podcast, host Prabin Joel Jones sits down with Philip Reinckens (ex-CEO of SPIN, early employee at TIER, involved in the Nextbike and SPIN deals, and part of the SPIN → Bird acquisition). Philip shares a candid, operator’s view of what went right, what went wrong, and what the industry still misunderstands. We unpack:- The early days of TIER and the 2019 expansion playbook (including launching multiple German cities on day one)- Why micromobility scaled so fast—and how much of it was execution vs hardware luck- COVID, in-house ops, and how operational decisions changed the trajectory- The “charging network” thesis (why it didn’t take off then, and why it might return now)- Why many investors cooled on the sector: hardware, ops intensity, vandalism, and city complexity- Europe vs the US: pricing vs utilization, seasonality, and the “joyrider” dynamic- The SPIN turnaround: cutting burn, upgrading fleets, and shifting culture to operations- The logic behind the Nextbike acquisition—and why integrations are harder than they look- Philip’s 2026 take: micromobility is an operations game, and “the right vehicle in the right place at the right time” beats everything else- What he’d do differently today with AI-lean org design 🎟️ Micromobility Europe is coming to Berlin — 2–3 June. Early bird tickets are on sale now at micromobility.io.

    52 min
  8. How Cities Can Make Shared Mobility Affordable with Erdem Ovacik

    FEB 9

    How Cities Can Make Shared Mobility Affordable with Erdem Ovacik

    In this episode of the Micromobility Podcast, Prabin Joel Jones (CEO, Micromobility Industries) sits down with Erdem Ovacik, Co-founder of Donkey Republic (the iconic orange bikes across Copenhagen, Antwerp, and beyond) and now Co-founder of Impact Market / MIMA (Mobility Impact Market). Erdem’s thesis is simple and radical: cities already subsidize public transport heavily, but new mobility is expected to survive on user fees alone. The result is predictable - services become expensive, availability suffers, and mode shift stalls. Impact Market proposes a new model: impact procurement that pays operators per high-value trip, essentially a reverse congestion charge where the public rewards the trips it wants more of. We go deep on how this works in practice: where budgets can come from (transport, infrastructure avoidance, preventive health, climate funds), how “open house” contracting differs from traditional tenders, how to measure social ROI fast, and how to prevent fraud or price-gouging. We also explore autonomous vehicles, why Europe is cautious, and how smart incentives can push AVs toward pooling and first/last mile public transit integration rather than adding “empty miles” and more congestion. What you’ll learn Why many city mobility tenders are failingHow trip incentives can unlock affordability + availabilityHow to measure mode shift and social ROI in a pilotHow to prevent abuse (competition + price conditions + audits)Why Paris is a leading example (bike lanes, leasing, carpool incentives)How AVs could help public transit (or create mayhem) depending on incentives

    46 min
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About

Welcome to Micromobility, a podcast exploring the disruption that comes from new lightweight utility vehicles. Using the history of computing as a framework, we unpack what business models and impacts we’re likely to see in transport in cities.

Information

  • Creator
    Micromobility Industries
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    248
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Micromobility Industries
  • Show Website
    The Micromobility Podcast

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