The Micromobility Podcast

Micromobility Industries

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. Fireside Chat with Sebastian Popp, CEO of Nextbike

    1d ago

    Fireside Chat with Sebastian Popp, CEO of Nextbike

    What does it take to build one of Europe's largest bike-sharing operators over 22 years? At Micromobility Europe 2026 in Berlin, Johan Høgåsen-Hallesby sits down with Sebastian Popp to explore the evolution of bike sharing—from manually unlocking bikes via a hotline in 2004 to operating integrated mobility networks across more than 400 cities today. Sebastian shares the story of Nextbike's early years, surviving on limited resources, winning city tenders across Europe, securing its first investment after a decade of bootstrapping, and navigating its acquisition by Tier before becoming independent again. The conversation also examines how bike sharing is evolving, the growing convergence of B2G and B2C mobility models, public transport integration, regional mobility networks, fleet customization, European manufacturing, and why subsidized bike-sharing systems remain critical for cities looking to reduce car dependency. Topics covered:• The founding story of Nextbike and Europe's early bike-sharing market• Scaling to tens of thousands of bikes through city tenders• Lessons from the Tier acquisition• How Nextbike transformed into a rider-focused organization• Public transport integration and regional mobility networks• The future of bike sharing, micromobility, and city partnerships• Why cities should continue investing in shared mobility infrastructure Speakers:• Sebastian Popp, CEO, Nextbike• Johan Høgåsen-Hallesby, Co-founding Partner, Beta Mobility Recorded live at Micromobility Europe 2026 in Berlin. Subscribe for more conversations with the leaders shaping the future of urban mobility.

    31 min
  2. How Minimal Is Rethinking Urban Delivery - Patrick Bion, Co-Founder & CEO

    Jun 22

    How Minimal Is Rethinking Urban Delivery - Patrick Bion, Co-Founder & CEO

    Patrick Bion, Co-Founder and CEO of Minimal, joins Prabin Joel Jones on the Micromobility Podcast to talk about the future of last-mile delivery, right-sized vehicles, and why cities need a new generation of commercial vehicles.Patrick has spent more than a decade building electric vehicles, starting at Tesla in the early days of Model S, Model X and Model 3, before moving to Arrival, where he worked on commercial EVs for major customers including Amazon and UPS. Now, with Minimal, he is taking a different approach: smaller, smarter, more efficient vehicles designed specifically for dense urban logistics.In this conversation, Patrick explains why simply electrifying vans is not enough, how Minimal’s Pedal Four vehicle can replace van routes in dense city centres, and why the company is building a full stack of right-sized delivery vehicles, from pedal-assist cargo vehicles to microvans and eventually autonomous delivery platforms. They also discuss Minimal’s microfactory strategy, Fleet OS software platform, battery and charging model, regulation around cargo vehicles in bike lanes, the economics of parcel delivery, and why the future of urban logistics may depend on moving more with less.

    52 min
  3. Driven by Purpose: Maxim Romain, Co-founder & CEO of Dott

    Jun 15

    Driven by Purpose: Maxim Romain, Co-founder & CEO of Dott

    Brussels has announced plans to ban shared e-scooters from January 2027, sending shockwaves through the micromobility industry. In this episode of the Micromobility Podcast, Prabin Joel Jones sits down with Dott Co-Founder and CEO Maxim Romain for a candid, in-person conversation at Dott's headquarters in Amsterdam. Maxim shares his reaction to the Brussels decision, why he believes the reasons given by the city do not reflect the reality of shared micromobility today, and what this could mean for operators, cities, and riders across Europe. The conversation also explores the broader state of the industry, including Dott's journey from startup to one of the world's largest micromobility operators, the path to profitability following the Tier-Dott merger, Lime's upcoming IPO, industry consolidation, and the future of shared transportation. Topics covered:• Brussels' shared e-scooter ban• Safety, parking and crime concerns surrounding scooters• Why cities continue to embrace micromobility• Dott's path to profitability• The Tier-Dott merger• Lime's IPO and industry valuations• Consolidation in shared mobility• The future of e-bikes, e-scooters and new vehicle types• Building resilient companies during difficult times• Founder mindset, purpose and long-term thinking Maxim is one of the few founders still leading a major micromobility company after more than eight years in the industry. This conversation offers a unique perspective on where shared mobility has been and where it is heading next. 🎙 Guest: Maxim Romain, Co-Founder & CEO, Dott🎙 Host: Prabin Joel Jones, CEO, Micromobility Industries

    1h 16m
  4. The Business of Shared Micromobility Is Finally Working - Tobias W. Balchen, CEO of RYDE

    May 25

    The Business of Shared Micromobility Is Finally Working - Tobias W. Balchen, CEO of RYDE

    Shared micromobility is no longer just a startup experiment. It’s becoming real urban infrastructure. In this episode of the Micromobility Podcast, Prabin Joel Jones sits down with Tobias Balchen, CEO of Ryde, one of the most profitable shared micromobility operators in Europe. Ryde grew revenue from $28.4M in 2023 to $75.5M in 2025 while maintaining industry-leading profitability. Tobias breaks down how Ryde achieved this while much of the industry struggled with losses, restructuring and funding challenges. We also dive deep into the future of the micromobility industry, Lime’s IPO, e-bikes, public transit integration, infrastructure, consolidation and what comes next for the sector. What we covered:- How Ryde became one of the most profitable operators in micromobility- Why customer experience is the foundation of profitability- Why Oslo’s shared scooter network is approaching public transit scale- The future of shared e-bikes and scooters- Why bikes are becoming a major growth driver- Lime’s S-1 filing and what it means for the industry- Why valuations are still low despite explosive ridership growth- The shift from VC funding to debt and bond markets- Why cycling infrastructure directly impacts ridership- Whether micromobility is becoming urban infrastructure- The future of consolidation in the industry- Why Europe remains the biggest opportunity for operators- New mobility formats and what comes after scooters and bikes- Advice for startups building in micromobility

    52 min
  5. How LYFT Built One of the World’s Largest Bikeshare Networks - Caroline Samponaro, VP Lyft

    May 18

    How LYFT Built One of the World’s Largest Bikeshare Networks - Caroline Samponaro, VP Lyft

    In this episode of the Micromobility Podcast, Prabin Joel Jones speaks with Caroline Samponaro, VP of External Affairs at Lyft Urban Solutions, about building and scaling some of the most successful public bike share programs in the world, and why she believes the station-based model is the future of urban micromobility. Caroline shares her journey from bicycle activist and community organiser in New York City, through a brief stint at dockless pioneer Ofo, to helping Lyft build its infrastructure-first approach to bike share. She breaks down what makes programs like Citi Bike, Divvy, and Capital Bikeshare work, why free-floating was a distraction, and what the next decade of public micromobility looks like. Topics covered: • From anthropology student to bike advocate: Caroline's path into micromobility• What Lyft Urban Solutions actually is and the scale it operates at• Why Lyft doubled down on station-based bike share while Uber walked away• The Citi Bike story: 36k bikes, 47m  trips, and a single-day record of 206k rides• Why free-floating costs 26% more per ride than station-based over a contract lifecycle• The new Pillar station: independent bollards, latch docking, and in-dock charging• How Chicago's Divvy program combines e-bikes, e-scooters, and hybrid parking• What makes a bike share city: network density, political will, and long-term thinking• Protected bike lanes and why infrastructure and tools must go together• Advice for city officials designing or procuring a micro-mobility program

    54 min
  6. Swiss Inventor Behind Today’s Scooter Boom Is Doing It Again With Microcars

    May 11

    Swiss Inventor Behind Today’s Scooter Boom Is Doing It Again With Microcars

    In this episode of the Micromobility Podcast, Prabin Joel Jones speaks with Wim Ouboter, Founder & CEO of Micro Mobility Systems and the inventor of the modern kick scooter, about building one of the most iconic micro vehicles in history and then betting everything on the microcar. Wim shares the story behind the Micro scooter's creation, how it scaled to 80,000 units a day, and what happened when the market collapsed under a wave of copies. He then takes us through the journey of building the Microlino, the regulatory battles facing microcars today, and why he believes the pod car is the next major shift in urban mobility. Topics covered:• The bratwurst run that inspired the micro scooter• Scaling to 80,000 units a day and the collapse that followed• Why Wim pivoted from scooters to microcars• The story behind the Microlino and the BMW Isetta• L6 vs L7 and the regulatory challenges facing microcars• The lawsuit against the Swiss government over CO2 credits• Manufacturing in Italy vs China and what changes next• Advice for founders building hardware in mobility today

    1h 2m
  7. Talking Everything Micromobility with Kevin Talbot - Managing Partner, Relay Ventures

    May 4

    Talking Everything Micromobility with Kevin Talbot - Managing Partner, Relay Ventures

    In this episode of the Micromobility Podcast, Prabin Joel Jones speaks with Kevin Talbot, Managing Partner at Relay Ventures and one of the earliest investors in Bird, about the rise, challenges, and future of shared micromobility. Kevin shares the inside story behind Relay Ventures’ investment in Bird, the creation of Bird Canada, and how the franchisee eventually took over the global company. The conversation explores what Bird got right, where the industry struggled, and why consolidation is far from over. They also discuss profitability, regulation, swappable batteries, the future of microcars, and why Kevin believes micromobility will eventually become a two-player global market. Topics covered:• How Relay Ventures invested in Bird• The story behind Bird Canada• What Bird got right and wrong• Why swappable batteries matter• Regulation and city partnerships• Profitability challenges in micromobility• The future of industry consolidation• Why microcars could transform urban mobility• Advice for founders building in mobility today

    1 hr
  8. What’s Driving Shared Micromobility Growth in Chicago? with David Powe, Asst. Commissioner - CDOT

    Apr 27

    What’s Driving Shared Micromobility Growth in Chicago? with David Powe, Asst. Commissioner - CDOT

    In this episode of the Micromobility Podcast, Prabin Joel Jones speaks with David Powe, Assistant Commissioner at the Chicago Department of Transportation, about how Chicago is scaling micromobility across the city. They explore the rapid growth in ridership, the expansion of Divvy bike share, and the rise of scooter use led by Lime. The conversation covers how infrastructure, pricing, and public-private partnerships are shaping adoption, along with the balance between station-based and free-floating systems. David also shares insights on safety, affordability, and programs like Bike Chicago that are expanding access. Topics covered: • Chicago’s micromobility growth story• Divvy bike share and system expansion• Rise of e-bikes and scooters• Infrastructure and pricing strategies• Station-based vs free-floating models• Safety challenges and solutions• Expanding access through Bike Chicago• What other cities can learn

    1h 2m
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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
    259
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Micromobility Industries
  • Show Website
    The Micromobility Podcast

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