
Whether we're talking car sharing, mopeds, or scooters, shared mobility is usually associated with large, buzzing cities. More potential customers, longer distances to travel, and higher demand for transportation services – these often seem like key business factors for aspiring mobility entrepreneurs.
But large cities present hurdles, too. From intense competition to higher operating expenses, establishing yourself in a major urban center is a costly uphill battle that's becoming more difficult by the day.
In response, mobility entrepreneurs are increasingly eyeing small towns for their operations.
Launching a shared mobility business in a small town comes with a distinct set of advantages that may be particularly suited for those taking their first steps in the industry. While industry veterans are also exploring opportunities to expand their operations beyond the big cities, smaller towns might not meet their desired level of profitability and hence are typically overlooked.
In what follows, we'll detail seven important benefits of launching a shared mobility business in a small town and take a quick look at what such an operation could look like.
7 reasons to launch a shared mobility business in a small town
Unless you're working with massive capital and are willing to go to war with several other operators, a small town can be the perfect place to begin your shared mobility business journey. Especially if you yourself come from that or a nearby town.
1. Meet real needs
One of the most significant advantages of operating in a small town is the ability to meet genuine transportation needs. Local entrepreneurs, themselves part of the community, possess an intimate understanding of the unique requirements and behaviors of their fellow residents.
Accordingly, it can be very rewarding both financially and socially to provide a mobility solution that tackles specific issues, and no large competition can do it as quickly or efficiently as a local entrepreneur.
2. Better collaboration with authorities and residents
Working with local authorities in small towns is often a more streamlined and collaborative process. This makes obtaining permits and navigating regulations considerably easier compared to larger cities.
The smaller scale and close-knit nature of these communities allow entrepreneurs and city officials to establish closer working relationships, fostering open communication, and a joint vision in developing mobility solutions that are best suited for the town.
3. More effective marketing
Marketing and advertising efforts in small towns can be significantly simplified and more effective. Sometimes marketing might even be unnecessary. Local entrepreneurs have the advantage of leveraging community events, traditions, and personal connections to create impactful marketing campaigns that resonate deeply with the residents.
This localized approach not only enhances brand visibility but also establishes a sense of familiarity and trust among potential customers – elements that outside brands may find very difficult to replicate.
4. Little-to-no competition
One of the most enticing aspects of launching a shared mobility business in a small town is the lack of competition from major players. Major companies may overlook these areas due to perceived limited profitability potential, leaving the market wide open for local entrepreneurs to establish themselves as the primary mobility service provider.
With little or no competition to contend with, entrepreneurs can seize the opportunity to capture a significant market share and build a loyal customer base from the outset.
5. Faster service adoption
A major challenge when launching in a big city is slow adoption. Travelers have lots of options to choose from and they typically already have mobile apps for the most popular service providers. As a result, this can make them hesitant to download another app or to change their habits.
In smaller cities, this is a non-issue. Word of mouth travels fast and it's much easier to get noticed when you have little-to-no competition. Ultimately, this helps your mobility business start generating more revenue faster.
6. Easier B2B or B2G partnerships
The local nature of small towns enhances the potential for fruitful partnerships and collaborations. As a local business, shared mobility entrepreneurs are more likely to garner the interest and support of other organizations in the vicinity. Building partnerships becomes more accessible, as there is a shared understanding of the community's needs and a mutual interest in driving positive change.
For instance, establishing collaborations with local businesses to offer corporate fleet services or working in conjunction with the local government to provide special discounts for specific groups of citizens can create mutually beneficial arrangements. These partnerships not only expand the business' customer base but also strengthen its reputation.
7. Simpler and more effective ground operations
Small towns, by their very nature, offer a significant advantage in terms of simplified and efficient ground operations for shared mobility businesses. With smaller geographical areas and populations, the logistical challenges associated with tasks such as vehicle collection, relocation, and maintenance are greatly minimized.
The compact size of small towns often results in lower operational costs, enabling entrepreneurs to maintain a lean and cost-effective operation, while keeping customer satisfaction high.
A typical small town operation
The needs of a city with a population of 20-30k people can be effectively met with a reasonable fleet size of 80-150 scooters, which is an optimal starting size for scooter-sharing businesses. As mentioned, such a fleet is also easy to maintain and keeps ongoing operational costs low.
Small cities are often surrounded by other nearby smaller 5-10k people towns, which offer expansion opportunities without dramatically increasing servicing and maintenance costs and efforts. This allows the fleet to be managed by a single employee on the ground, while keeping the central ~20k population city as an operational hub.
From our own 100+ operators, we see that small town operators with no other competition are earning more money per vehicle than their counterparts in bigger cities – a very important metric, particularly in the early stages of building a shared mobility business.
Best =/= biggest
When you hear “burgers” you think “McDonalds”. But when you hear “best burgers in town” you probably think of some local burger joint that you would choose over McDonalds every day of the week.
It's a similar story with shared mobility businesses – most entrepreneurs aspire to be Uber or Bolt, to take over the big cities, and to become a dominant name in the industry. But the reality is that you can find great business success by shining locally.
If you're interested in starting your own shared mobility venture, join our ATOM Academy to learn more and see if it's the right car sharing or scooter sharing software for you.
Click below to learn more or request a demo.

🛵 Thinking about launching a mobility business? One key decision can shape your entire growth path: go with a franchise or build your own brand with a white label solution. 🔍 This guide breaks down the pros and cons of each model – and shows how you can even grow your own partner network under your brand with ATOM Mobility’s white label platform.
White label vs franchising: Which model is right for your mobility business?
Starting a new mobility business comes with many decisions, but one of the most important is choosing the right model for growth. Whether you're thinking about launching an electric scooter fleet, a ride-hailing app, or car sharing in your city, there are two main paths to consider: joining a franchise or building your own brand using a white label solution.
Both models offer clear benefits – and both have downsides. What works best depends on your goals, experience, and long-term vision.
What is franchising in mobility?
Franchising means joining an existing brand and operating under their name, systems, and technology. For example, a local taxi fleet might become a Bolt ride-hailing partner, gaining access to Bolt's technology, user base, and reputation. Similarly, in the micromobility space, some brands allow local entrepreneurs to launch electric scooter or bike-sharing services as franchisees.
This model is popular because it can significantly reduce the time and effort needed to launch. Instead of developing your own technology, brand, marketing strategy, and operational systems, you get a package, a “ready to use” business, from a brand that already knows the ropes.
Franchising: Pros and cons
The main advantage of franchising is speed and simplicity. You don’t need to build everything from scratch. You operate under a recognized name, which can make marketing easier. Often, you also get operational support and a clear playbook to follow.
But there are also downsides. As a franchisee, you don’t fully control the brand, customers and the technology. You may have limited flexibility to experiment or adapt the service to your local needs. Franchise fees or revenue sharing models can also reduce your profit margin. And if the brand suffers reputational issues elsewhere, it can impact your local business – even if you’re doing everything right.
Real-world examples of successful micromobility franchises:
LEVY, an US-based electric scooter-sharing company, has successfully expanded through a franchise model by partnering with local operators across USA. Entrepreneurs can launch and operate Levy-branded services in their cities, leveraging LEVY’s tested software, hardware, and operational know-how. This model has helped LEVY scale quickly while maintaining a consistent brand and service quality.
Nextbike, based in Germany, is one of the world’s leading public bike-sharing providers. It works with cities and franchise-like partners to operate local services under the Nextbike brand. These partners handle operations on the ground, such as maintenance and customer service, while benefiting from Nextbike’s established platform, brand, and international experience. With a presence in over 300 cities, it’s a clear example of how a micromobility business can scale through distributed partnerships.
What is white label in mobility?
A white label solution allows you to launch your own mobility platform – under your own brand – using someone else's ready-made technology. This means you can create a ride-hailing app, car-sharing service, or scooter fleet that looks and feels 100% yours, but without needing to build the software from scratch.
If you’re not familiar with how white label works, here’s a good explanation.
With white label, you take ownership of your brand and operations, while leveraging reliable, tested software that’s been used in dozens of markets. You’re not just a local operator – you’re the brand owner.
White label: Pros and cons
The biggest benefit of a white label approach is independence. You control the brand, the marketing, pricing, partnerships, everything. You can build a unique business that reflects your vision and local market needs. There’s no revenue sharing or ongoing franchise fees.
However, white label also means more responsibility. You have to manage marketing, customer support, local partnerships, and operations yourself. While the software is provided, the business is yours to run. It requires more involvement but also brings more potential reward.

3 reasons to choose your own white label platform
- Complete control over everything: Unlike a franchise, where key decisions are made by its owner, you’re in charge of everything - from choosing the name, branding to allocating budgets and setting up a supply chain.
- Flexible operations: There’s no universal solution that works equally well for all entrepreneurs. By starting your own project, you can better adapt to the local market needs, customer requests, and even changes in legislation. To launch a new app feature or adjust pricing, you won’t have to go through layers of approvals - you are the only decision-maker.
- Faster growth opportunities: For example, by attracting investments, launching crowdfunding, increasing your fleet, making additional investments in advertising, or even launching your own franchise.
Choosing the right model for your mobility business
If you want a fast, low-risk way to enter the market with support and clear systems, franchising may be a good fit – especially if you’re new to mobility or want to test the waters.
If you want to build a long-term business under your own brand, with full control and higher potential margins, white label is likely the better option. It gives you room to grow and adapt without being tied to someone else’s rules.
Many successful businesses start with white label software to speed up their launch, then focus on building a strong local brand and user base. Over time, this approach can offer more strategic freedom and better returns.
You can even build your own franchise using ATOM white label
One advantage of choosing a white label provider like ATOM Mobility is that you’re not just building for yourself. With ATOM’s platform, you can also expand by inviting partners to operate under your brand in other cities or regions.
This means that you can launch as an independent operator and, over time, create your own franchise-style network. ATOM’s software allows you to add partners to your platform, assign them specific territories, limit access to data, and manage operations from one central system. Your partners operate under your brand – and you stay in control of the bigger picture.
This is exactly how several of our clients have grown. They started locally, proved the model, then expanded by partnering with others – all without giving up their brand or independence.
Both franchising and white label are valid ways to launch a mobility business, and both come with clear advantages. But if your goal is long-term brand ownership, flexibility, and the ability to scale on your own terms, white label is often the smarter path.
With ATOM Mobility’s platform, you can launch fast, operate efficiently, and even build your own network of partners under your brand – creating a franchise model that works for you.

🚕 Thinking of launching your own ride-hailing service? You don’t need a giant budget or years of development. With the right tools and a local-first mindset, you can go from zero to launch in just 90 days. From platform setup and driver onboarding to beta testing and your first 1,000 rides - this guide covers it all.
Starting a ride-hailing or shared mobility venture can seem overwhelming, but with a clear plan, it's possible to launch in just 90 days. This guide outlines a three-phase process: laying the foundation, building your product and team, and launching - plus tips for growth beyond day 90. By following this roadmap, you’ll validate your idea, ensure legal compliance, create your brand and technology, recruit drivers, and hit the market ready.
Day 0–30: Foundation
Finding a niche
Start with market validation and legal setup. Research your target area to identify unmet transport needs. Maybe large providers don’t serve certain areas, or there’s demand for eco-friendly, or premium segment or niche services like women-only rides.
Looking to stand out in the competitive ride-hail market? Check out these two insightful reads:
- Finding a niche in the competitive ride-hail market: https://www.atommobility.com/blog/how-to-find-your-niche-in-the-competitive-ride-hail-market-real-world-examples-of-businesses-that-resonate
- Discover how a local taxi union in Sweden supports a new platform to reshape industry standards and build a fairer ecosystem: https://www.atommobility.com/blog/driving-change-with-fair-how-a-small-platform-is-redefining-the-taxi-industry-in-sweden
This should help you define your niche, unique positioning or angle, and ultimately your unique selling proposition to stand out from other players in the market.
Legal compliance
Next step will be forming your business (e.g., LLC) to protect liability and later attract investors. Apply for the necessary permits, such as TNC licenses, and consult local regulations. Insurance is essential – you’ll need commercial liability coverage that also includes drivers. Run background checks to ensure safety and compliance.
Legal compliance checklist:
- Business registration
- Ride-hailing or taxi permits
- Driver background checks
- Commercial insurance
- Local regulation compliance (e.g., vehicle checks)
Budgeting for MVP launch
Outline core costs: software, licenses, insurance, marketing, driver incentives, customer support, accounting services, and some reserve. Use a white-label software like ATOM Mobility to avoid costly custom builds. These platforms offer rider/driver apps and backend systems for a fraction of development costs.
Plan an initial marketing budget (e.g., €1,000–€5,000) and allocate driver sign-up bonuses (€100 for 20 rides, for example). Include small expenses like Apple developer accounts or a place in co-working to work from. Keep costs lean and prepare a detailed budget for the first 6-12 months.
Financing: Bootstrapping vs. investors
Once you have a 6-12 month budget prepared, you can choose between personal funding, angel investors, or crowdfunding. Bootstrapping (using your personal capital) offers control but limits scale. Local group of angel investors can contribute €50k–€500k in total and extra mentorship. Crowdfunding helps raise funds while building a local supporter base. For example, you can engage drivers to invest via crowdfunding in exchange for a small equity share in your company and free usage of the platform for a certain period.
Here’s a helpful resource on using crowdfunding to kickstart your venture and get inspired: https://www.atommobility.com/blog/crowdfunding-for-your-vehicle-sharing-business
If your budget analysis shows you need external funding, try at least to launch a small-scale, working prototype with personal funds or an FFF (friends, family, and fools funding) round before entering the investment process. Demonstrating even modest traction significantly boosts your chances of a successful raise.
Please note that securing your first round of funding - whether from crowdfunding or business angels - typically takes six or more months. To keep momentum going, launch an initial version of your product or service, then start the fundraising process.

Day 30–60: Build & integrate
Software
Choosing the right software partner can make or break your new ride-hail venture. From cost efficiency and faster time-to-market to reliability and specialized industry knowledge, the benefits of a white-label solution often outweigh the complexities and expense of building from scratch. Be sure to evaluate each provider’s platform features - rider and driver apps, dispatch system, and payment tools—alongside their proven track record of scaling and entering different markets. Confirm their customization capabilities, pricing transparency, and ability to expand into new service zones as your business grows. Ultimately, opt for a partner that delivers both the technology and the strategic support you need. For more insights on this decision-making process, explore white-label solutions vs. building from scratch and discover Why ATOM for a deeper dive into selecting the right tech partner.
Create a clear branding identity
Start by selecting a memorable name that reflects both your niche and city - AI-powered tools like ChatGPT can speed up brainstorming. Next, design a simple logo and choose core colors using user-friendly platforms such as Canva or Looka. Consistency is key, so use these design elements across your website and social channels.
When it’s time to launch your online presence, opt for no-code platforms like Squarespace, or Carrd to create a minimal landing page in minutes -no developers needed. Clearly present your core message (e.g., “Premium, all-black Mercedes rides in [City].”), include links to your rider/driver apps, and offer driver sign-up form. This straightforward approach helps potential users and drivers quickly understand and trust your brand.
Driver onboarding (first 50 drivers)
Your service can’t run without drivers, so make their onboarding experience as smooth and appealing as possible. Start by defining tangible benefits - like 0% commissions for the first three months, niche perks, or local partnerships—that set you apart. Reach out via social media, online communities, and direct messaging to recruit your initial loyal driver base. Host webinars or info sessions to keep them engaged and address any concerns.
Keep in mind, your first drivers are crucial for user satisfaction: they are the face of your service and heavily influence each ride’s quality. Consider providing branded merchandise and clear guidelines—such as offering free candies or bottled water, opening doors, or any other gesture aligned with your unique selling proposition (USP).
To streamline onboarding, create a simple website form for sign-ups, ensure fast document verification, run background checks, and offer concise training modules. Incentives like sign-up bonuses or a zero-commission period can help you recruit your first group of drivers quickly. You might also guarantee initial earnings (covering fixed fees from your budget) to build driver trust while you grow your user base.
Goal: By day 60, aim to have at least 50 drivers signed up and ready to serve your launch zone, setting a solid foundation for your platform’s success.
Day 60–90: Test & launch
Closed beta testing
Before a full launch, invite a small group of friends, family, or early supporters to test your app and simulate real-world scenarios. Focus on the essentials: ride requests, payment processing, GPS accuracy, and cancellation flows -ideally at various times of day and on different devices. Take a few actual rides with real drivers to see how they follow outlined procedures and interact with riders. Gather feedback to uncover any usability issues or unexpected driver behaviors.
During this phase, refine your internal processes as well. Decide how you’ll handle customer inquiries - whether via a dedicated help email, chat support, or both - and respond promptly to build trust. If you have a team, ensure everyone is on the same page about responsibilities, communication guidelines, and how to address rider or driver concerns. This targeted approach helps you iron out potential issues, polish the user experience, and establish robust support protocols before going public.
Public launch
Decide whether to roll out quietly (a soft launch) to iron out any last-minute bugs or make a big announcement with a press release. If you choose the latter, pitch your story to local media outlets, emphasizing your community-first approach to mobility. Launch promotions - like 50% off first rides or a €5 sign-up credit - are a great way to attract early adopters and generate buzz.
Make sure your driver pool is ready to handle demand by coordinating schedules and availability. Consider offline tactics, too: distributing flyers in high-traffic areas, setting up campus booths, or sponsoring community events can help you gain local exposure. Once you’re live, keep a close eye on rider feedback (e.g., ride ratings, app store reviews) and address issues swiftly to maintain a positive user experience.
Marketing & growth to 1,000 rides
Partner with local influencers to promote your app, offering free rides or small payments in exchange for authentic social media posts. Focus on influencers your target audience trusts. Implement app referral programs - reward users and their friends with ride credits to spark word-of-mouth growth.
Keep engagement high by sharing milestones and user success stories online. Show up at local events, offering exclusive promo codes to attract new riders. Begin with small-scale digital advertising, reinvesting as you generate revenue and learn which channels work best. Track core metrics like sign-ups, ride volume, and wait times so you can make data-driven decisions and refine your strategy in real time.
Post 90 days: Scaling
Customer support & operations
As your platform grows, consider outsourcing or automating aspects of customer support. Create a help center or FAQ to guide users to quick solutions, and keep daily operations under close watch so you can resolve any issues swiftly. To remain efficient, hire part-time help (e.g., marketers or fleet managers) who can handle specialized tasks without inflating your overhead.
Fundraising
With initial traction in place, you’re in a strong position to secure additional funding. Present clear data on ride volume, user retention, and revenue growth to potential angel investors or crowdfunding platforms. Government grants may also be available for sustainable transport initiatives, so explore those opportunities. Be specific about how the funds will be used - for instance, "We need €100 000 to expand into two new cities and reach 10,000 rides per month."
The 90-day timeline
Although launching a ride-hail platform in 90 days is ambitious, a focused strategy and lean tooling can make it possible. Stay agile, keep service quality at the forefront, and set tangible milestones for each stage. With strong local insights and consistent execution, you can carve out a lasting presence in the mobility space.
Growth & expansion
Before moving into new cities, solidify your position in your initial market. Continue recruiting drivers and reaching fresh rider segments through targeted partnerships and loyalty programs. If you decide to scale further, use your 90-day playbook again—tweaking it for each new region’s unique challenges and opportunities. Good luck!