How Donkey Republic became a micromobility leader

How Donkey Republic became a micromobility leader

Bike-sharing has had a wild ride over the past ten years. Some companies threw thousands of bikes onto city streets without permission, while others spent tons of money but couldn’t figure out how to make a profit. Donkey Republic took a different approach—and it worked.

Started in Copenhagen in 2014, Donkey Republic didn’t rush to expand or rely on big investors. Instead, it focused on working with cities, keeping things simple, and making sure the business could actually make money. In 2023, the company earned €15.4 million (DKK 115.2 million), up 70% from the previous year, and, more importantly, it made a profit of €1.27 million (DKK 9.5 million).

From a simple idea to a growing business

The company’s founder, Erdem Ovacik, got the idea when he saw a friend using combination locks to share bikes with others in Copenhagen. He figured there had to be a better way. The answer? A mobile app and smart locks, so people could rent a bike quickly without needing a docking station.

In 2015, Donkey Republic started with just 30 bikes. Instead of flooding the streets with bikes and hoping for the best, it worked directly with city governments to get approval. That helped avoid the problems that companies like Ofo and Mobike faced when they expanded too fast and then collapsed.

The key of not overdoing

A lot of bike and scooter companies try to grow as fast as possible, spending loads of money and hoping to make a profit later. Donkey Republic didn’t do that. By 2020, it had expanded to 13 countries, including Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, and Finland, but always in a controlled way.

A big part of its success comes from working with cities instead of fighting them. Instead of just dropping bikes on the street and hoping no one complains, Donkey Republic made agreements with local governments. This means the company doesn’t have to worry as much about sudden bans or changing rules.

For example, in 2023, Paris banned rental e-scooters, which was a disaster for other companies. But because Donkey Republic focuses on bikes, it wasn’t affected.

Financial growth and key milestones

Donkey Republic has shown impressive financial progress in recent years. In 2023, the company reported a revenue of DKK 115.2 million – a 70% increase compared to the previous year. Even more importantly, they achieved a positive EBITDA (Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization)  of DKK 9.5 million, marking a shift toward profitability.

Source: https://invest.donkey.bike

2024 has been even stronger for Donkey Republic. The company reported a revenue of DKK 145 million, representing a 25% increase from 2023. For the first time, they also recorded a positive EBIT of DKK 1 million. This shows that their long-term strategy of working with cities and optimizing operations is paying off.

What makes Donkey Republic different?

Several factors have contributed to Donkey Republic’s success:

  • Emphasize partnerships – Rather than competing with cities, they work alongside them, forging long-term agreements that drive stability and growth. Approximately 30% of their revenue stems from B2G and B2B long-term contracts, including subsidies.
  • Technology-driven approach – Their smart locks and app-based rentals make it easy for users to find and use bikes anytime.
  • Financial sustainability – While some bike-sharing companies struggle with profitability, Donkey Republic has managed to grow revenue while keeping costs under control.
  • Commitment to sustainability – By promoting cycling as an alternative to cars, they contribute to cleaner and less congested cities.

What’s next for Donkey Republic

While Donkey Republic has shown that micromobility can be profitable, the road ahead isn’t without challenges. Competition is fierce, and other companies are rapidly expanding their e-bike fleets to compete in Donkey Republic’s space. Additionally, while city partnerships provide stability, they also limit rapid expansion – municipal contracts take time to secure, and some cities prefer to invest in their own public bike-sharing programs.

Still, Donkey Republic is betting that the demand for sustainable, city-friendly transport will only grow. With urban areas across Europe cracking down on car use – such as London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) and Paris’s car-restriction policies – bike-sharing is well-positioned to thrive.

So while scooter operators continue to battle regulatory headaches and profit struggles, Donkey Republic is proving that a disciplined, city-first approach might just be the key to lasting success in micromobility.

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Unlock more mobility opportunities with the ATOM Mobility and Umob partnership
Unlock more mobility opportunities with the ATOM Mobility and Umob partnership

🌍 Reach more riders with ATOM Mobility and Umob. The integration gives shared mobility operators an additional distribution channel, helping attract new customers, generate more bookings and improve fleet utilization.

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The future of mobility is not just about operating vehicles. It is about creating convenient journeys that bring different transportation options together in one simple customer experience.

That is why we are excited to highlight our partnership with Umob, helping mobility operators expand their reach and become part of a growing multimodal mobility ecosystem.

Whether you operate shared cars, scooters, bikes or mopeds through the ATOM Mobility platform, integrating with Umob allows your service to become accessible to thousands of Umob users looking for a convenient way to travel.

Why this partnership matters

Today's users expect flexibility. They don't think in terms of individual mobility providers, they simply want the fastest, easiest, and most convenient route from A to B.

Umob brings different mobility providers and transport options together in one app. Users can find, compare, book and pay for different mobility options without having to download a separate app or create a new account for every provider.

By connecting your fleet to Umob, operators can:

  • Reach new customers through an established MaaS (Mobility as a Service) platform.
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  • Become part of multimodal journeys that combine public transport, shared mobility, taxis, and other transportation options.
  • Grow without investing in additional customer acquisition channels.

For ATOM Mobility customers, the integration is designed to provide a straightforward way to unlock new distribution opportunities while continuing to manage their core operations through the ATOM Mobility platform.

How the integration works

Through the ATOM Mobility platform, participating operators can connect their fleets with Umob, enabling users to discover and use available vehicles directly through the Umob app.

Once connected, vehicles from participating operators can appear in Umob alongside other available mobility options, giving users one clear overview of the different ways they can get from A to B.

Users can discover an available vehicle, reserve and unlock it, start and end their ride, and pay directly through Umob.

The integration is designed to support:

  • Real-time vehicle availability.
  • A seamless booking and ride experience for users.
  • Secure communication between platforms.
  • Consistent operational control for fleet operators.

Operators continue to manage their fleet, pricing, service areas and day-to-day operations through the ATOM Mobility platform, while Umob provides an additional channel through which users can discover and access their vehicles.

Business impact

For mobility operators, connecting with Umob creates an additional distribution channel without changing the way they manage their day-to-day operations through ATOM Mobility.

By making vehicles available to thousands of Umob users, operators can increase their visibility at the moment people are actively looking for a ride. This creates the potential to attract new users, generate additional bookings and improve fleet utilization over time.

Every market is different, but many operators see MaaS partnerships as an important part of their long-term growth strategy. 

Launch partner spotlight: ZEUS Mobility

One of the first ATOM Mobility operators to launch through the Umob integration is ZEUS Mobility, an ambitious European e-scooter sharing provider with a strong focus on innovation, a dynamic approach and challenging the established players in the market.

Fittingly, the partnership itself started through the ATOM Mobility network.

ZEUS and Umob first met at an ATOM Mobility event in Riga. While the initial introduction happened during the event, it was over drinks later that evening that the conversation really started.

ZEUS had already come across the Umob brand on mobility vehicles while travelling and had been impressed by the professional approach the company was taking. That recognition quickly turned into a conversation about how both companies could strengthen their propositions by working together.

From there, the integration moved forward quickly. ZEUS describes the preparation and integration process so far as “clean, professional and smooth.”

For ZEUS, the partnership creates an opportunity to strengthen the visibility of its brand, reach new customers and support its wider European growth ambitions.

Following its acquisition of Superpedestrian in May 2026, ZEUS is looking to accelerate its growth throughout 2026 and 2027, with the Umob partnership forming part of that ambition.

“ZEUS is thrilled to be partnering with Umob in European markets. Following our acquisition of Superpedestrian in May 2026, ZEUS is seeking to rapidly grow through 2026 and 2027. This partnership can help to drive this growth and reach new customers in new markets. We look forward to a rewarding partnership.” - Damian Young, ZEUS Mobility

About Umob

One app to ride them all. Umob is an all-in-one mobility platform that brings different mobility providers and transport options together in one app.

Users can find, compare, book and pay for shared bikes, e-bikes, scooters, mopeds, public transport, taxis and other available mobility options through one account and one payment experience. Instead of downloading and registering with a separate app for every provider or every new city, users can open Umob and see the available mobility options around them.

Today, Umob is available in 28+ countries and 300+ cities, giving thousands of users an easier way to access different forms of mobility both at home and while travelling.

Key facts

  • One app for different mobility options.
  • Find, compare, book and pay in one app.
  • Available in 28+ countries and 300+ cities.
  • Thousands of users already use the Umob platform.
  • Multiple local mobility providers within one user experience.
  • The same ride, for the same price as with the local provider.
Umob app
Ready to expand your reach?

If you're already operating your shared mobility service on the ATOM Mobility platform, connecting with Umob could be the next step toward reaching more users and becoming part of a truly connected mobility ecosystem.

If you're interested in enabling the integration or learning more about how it works, get in touch with our team. We look forward to helping more operators connect, collaborate, and make sustainable mobility easier for everyone.

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New feature: Task manager - Shifts & Operator performance tracking
New feature: Task manager - Shifts & Operator performance tracking

👷📊 ATOM Task Manager now goes beyond task distribution with new Shifts and Operator Performance functionality. Track shift routes, distance, completed tasks, time per task and individual operator performance - giving fleet managers a much clearer picture of field operations and efficiency.

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Managing a large shared mobility or rental fleet isn't only about knowing which tasks were completed. It's also about understanding how efficiently field teams are working. We've significantly expanded ATOM Mobility Task Manager with new Shifts and Performance functionality, giving fleet managers much better visibility into operator activity, workload, routes and performance.

Shift in progress
👷 Shifts: See the full picture behind every shift

The new Shifts tab gives managers a centralized overview of all operator shifts, including:

  • Shift duration and status
  • Distance driven during the shift
  • Number of tasks completed
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Managers can open any individual shift to see the complete operational picture. For every task, you can see the vehicle, task type, planned start and deadline, actual start and completion times, status and total task duration.

Each shift also includes a map showing the operator's complete movement during the shift and where individual tasks were performed. For shifts currently in progress, managers can also see the operator's current location.

This makes it much easier to understand the actual route, workload and decisions behind each shift — and identify opportunities to improve how field teams manage fleet maintenance and operations.

📊 Performance: Compare operator efficiency over time

The new Performance tab aggregates operational results for every operator over a selected period.

Managers can track:

  • Tasks completed
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  • Total time worked
  • Average time per task
  • Performance trends over time

Instead of reviewing hundreds of individual tasks, managers can quickly compare operators, identify top performers and spot areas where additional training or operational improvements may be needed.

📱 Improved Operator app workflow

To make performance data accurate and useful, we've also introduced a new shift and task workflow in the ATOM Operator app. Operators now start and end their shifts directly in the app, while individual task start and completion times are recorded automatically.

Personal performance statistics in operator app

We've also added:

  • Personal performance statistics with date filtering
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🚀 From task distribution to field operations intelligence

Together, these updates turn ATOM Task Manager from a task distribution tool into a much more complete field operations performance and optimization system. Operators get a clearer workflow and visibility into their own performance, while managers get the data they need to understand how their field operations actually work and where they can become more efficient.

The new functionality is available for ATOM Mobility's Vehicle sharing and Digital rental modules.

👉 Read more about our latest platform updates:
https://www.atommobility.com/atomupdates

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