VanMoof has been in turmoil for many months, and this while the commercial success does not seem to be denied, for the moment at least. To cope with a rapidly growing sales volume, the Dutch company had to make numerous investments. To this end, several fundraisers had been carried out, and loans had been contracted. However, indebtedness, negative balance sheets and delivery delays ended up costing VanMoof dearly, which had to file for bankruptcy on July 17.
The world of e-mobility — and more specifically pedelecs — has been facing some serious turbulence lately. Negative announcements follow one another, in particular among new brands which probably have a little less control over the industrial side – and in particular supply chains – than older players. But all is not lost for VanMoof: the brand’s beautiful bikes continue to appeal, and a first takeover offer has just arrived on the desks of its managers. It comes from the Italian company Micromobility, not to be confused with the Swiss company Micro-Mobility. And it is rumored that other offers could be made in the weeks to come.
A potential savior from Italy
Micromobility is a company created in 2015 by Salvatore Pallela as a global pioneer in sustainable transport services and micromobility. The adventure really began in 2018, with the development of a shared scooter service on its Italian lands. Since then, the company has expanded into Europe and the United States with scooters, e-bikes and electric scooters. The service called Helbiz has been announced in France in Paris and Bordeaux for several months now, but the file seems to be progressing very slowly. Micromobility markets rather high-end scooters, but also three models of bicycles, two of which can be similar to those of VanMoof.
According to the Italian company, the reception of the initial offer would be rather favorable and the final proposal would be in the process of being drafted. Salvatore Palella, the CEO of Micromobility, is particularly enthusiastic, even if he does not forget the difficulties of the sector. He states thus: “This potential acquisition is part of our long-term strategy to consolidate our leadership in the micromobility market and diversify our portfolio of solutions. VanMoof’s strong brand reputation, innovative e-bike technology and business model one-time subscription aligns perfectly with our vision for the future of urban transportation. We recognize the challenges currently facing the micromobility sector, but we strongly believe in the transformative power of this industry. The potential acquisition of VanMoof, renowned for its quality and innovation, represents an exciting step towards our vision of a more sustainable and efficient urban transport future.”.