On-demand urban mobility services developer Karhoo has beaten 570 applicants to win the prestigious European Startup Gold Prize for Mobility, with the victory marking a milestone moment for the company that was formed just two years ago.
The European Startup Prize for Mobility is a unique accelerator program that supports startups developing sustainable mobility innovations, with the aim of giving them the resources necessary to scale up in Europe. The competition is a joint venture run by the European Parliament’s Transport and Tourism Committee, Boston Consulting Group, and Via ID, that invites mobility startups from across Europe to submit ideas for the future of transportation.
During the main event at the European Parliament in Brussels, Karhoo, alongside 49 other finalists, pitched to a jury of mobility influencers and thought leaders. Following its presentation in front of an audience of European leaders, CEOs and investors, the UK-based company was awarded the Gold Prize alongside three other European startups.
The competition judged companies on several metrics, including the strength of their management team, their social impact, level of innovation and speed of execution. Karhoo, which has 1.8 million vehicles across six continents on its platform, was judged to be the breakthrough innovation with the most potential to shape the mobility landscape in Europe and around the world.
Karhoo is creating a ridehailing marketplace that brings together regulated, licensed taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) fleets from around the world in the form of an electronic platform that can integrate with other travel and leisure operators’ platforms and apps.
The win means Karhoo will receive tailor-made mentoring from the Boston Consulting Group, with the support of legal and corporate partners. The victory also provides Karhoo with an official economic and ecological rating issued by experts, including Carbon 4, further strengthening the company’s mission of sustainable mobility for everyone.
Karhoo is a subsidiary of Flit Technologies, an organization formed in 2017 that provides on-demand urban mobility services. Headquartered in London, Flit Technologies brings together cutting-edge booking, dispatch and payment technologies alongside urban data technology to create transparent and seamless mobility services.
Karhoo enables travelers everywhere to call a cab immediately or pre-book transport up to a year ahead. The company partners with legally accredited fleets ensuring public safety and allows its customers to compare choices based on their own criteria whether it be brand, price, ETA, type of vehicle or other services. Karhoo aims to become the largest platform of taxis and private hire vehicles in the world.
“Karhoo was created to demonstrate that mobility is a common project and not an individual service. We want to use that belief to change mobility in Europe and throughout the world for the better,” commented Karhoo’s co-CEO, Boris Pilichowski. “We have always believed that the future for Karhoo is very bright, so it is wonderful to see that view is shared amongst the esteemed judging panel here. To be selected as a Gold Prize winner from over 500 strong entries is a huge honor.”
