Insights and news from the ATOM Mobility team

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.

How Captur’s AI-powered photo reviews lessen the burden of parking compliance for micromobility operators

Explore how ATOM Mobility x Captur.ai integration works and how it benefits your micromobility business.

July 11, 2023

Micromobility is transforming urban transportation, offering convenient, affordable, and eco-friendly alternatives to traditional modes of commuting. However, with the rising popularity of e-scooters, bikes, and other micro-vehicles, there are also growing demands from cities to ensure compliance with road regulations.

One of the biggest challenges that micromobility operators face is parking compliance.

It's a never-ending challenge to ensure that scooters are parked correctly and in designated areas without obstructing public spaces and other road users. Noncompliance can lead not only to penalties but even drastic measures such as banning micromobility solutions in certain locations for good.

The old way of keeping track of parking compliance – ineffective

In order to control compliance with parking rules, users are usually asked to upload a picture of the vehicle after each trip. These pictures are then manually reviewed to identify bad parking situations, then send the user either some educational materials or, in other cases, a warning.

The problem?

Such manual photo reviewing is extremely time-consuming and inefficient. Identifying and locating badly parked vehicles can take up to several days. By the time the wrongly parked vehicle is located, the operator may have already received a fine.

Besides, it's a missed opportunity for the operator to effectively educate their customer – if the user receives a reprimand or some educational materials several days after the incident, it may not be efficient. These messages can get ignored, as the customer has probably already forgotten the particular situation.

This is where Captur.ai comes in.

Real-time, automated photo reviews with Captur.ai

Captur.ai is an AI-powered solution for real-time image analysis to help micromobility operators ensure parking compliance. The company already works with some of the leading mobility operators across the globe.

For ATOM Mobility users, Captur.ai's solution is now available as an in-app integration. Here's how it works:

When a user takes a photo at the end of the ride, ATOM Mobility sends it to Captur.ai, which uses AI to analyze it. Within 3-5 seconds, the user receives feedback on whether the vehicle is parked correctly or not.

If the algorithm detects that the scooter is parked badly, the image is blurred, or the vehicle is not clearly visible in the photo, the option to finish the ride is disabled. The user is asked to repark and/or retake the photo.

Users are given three attempts to submit a satisfactory photo, or the fourth attempt is approved automatically. Then, the last photo is sent to the customer's dashboard, marked as either good parking, bad parking, or improvable parking. Thanks to this categorization, operators can quickly notice and identify improperly parked vehicles and take action.

“The first impression? Captur.ai works great, and it's a fantastic timesaver,” says Holger Ollema, founder of Hoog Mobility.

The key benefits of Captur.ai for micromobility operators

The benefits of Captur.ai's AI-powered photo reviews are manifold, but mainly they're about reducing operational costs, growing the business, and providing better service to customers.

Save time and reduce costs

Time is money. Thus, effective automation of manual work can significantly affect the company's bottom line.

With Captur.ai, micromobility operators no longer need to manually inspect every parked vehicle for compliance. Clients already working with Captur.ai say they've been able to automate 95% of previously outsourced manual work, saving hours of their time.

This is especially important for those just starting out. As a new business owner, you might be extra cautious when it comes to expenses. By automating parking compliance monitoring, you can keep money in the company without increasing your workload.

Launch your business in new cities with ease

Despite the fact that studies show just 1.1% of e-scooters violate parking regulations, concerns about compliant vehicle parking are one of the key reasons why cities delay or ban the entry of new micromobility solutions.

Ensuring parking compliance is something ATOM Mobility + Captur.ai takes care of from day one. This argument may alleviate concerns for municipalities when granting permits to new micromobility solutions.

In fact, operators already using Captur.ai say this solution has made it easier for them to expand their businesses to new cities and markets.

‍Improve user experience and brand image

Improperly parked e-scooters that block sidewalks or roads are one of the key reasons why other road users may have negative attitudes toward them. According to research, if negative attitudes towards e-scooters are formed, it may impact the person's willingness to ever try and use one. This means losing potential customers – and profits.

Captur.ai provides e-scooter users with real-time feedback and educational content to improve their parking habits. In fact, Captur.ai reduces the time needed to provide customers with feedback by 10x, ensuring that the number of scooters on the streets that are parked improperly is minimized.

What does this mean for your brand? An opportunity to create an image of a responsible and safe brand. This may help you attract new customers and boost existing customers' loyalty.

Less headache, more room for growth

Forget shifting manually through thousands of photos to detect bad parking – this can now be done automatically thanks to the Captur.ai AI-powered solution.

For ATOM Mobility users, this integration offers an effective solution to the pressing problem of parking compliance. That's one less thing micromobility operators need to worry about when starting or expanding their business.

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How much capital do you need to start your own shared mobility business?

Discover the required capital to jumpstart your shared mobility venture. Learn about the essential expenses and gain the knowledge needed to embark on your entrepreneurial journey with confidence.

June 28, 2023

As shared mobility continues to experience rapid growth – projected to generate up to $1 trillion in consumer spending by 2030 – it's no wonder that entrepreneurs are drawn to explore opportunities in this thriving market.

However, despite the optimistic market outlook, the shared mobility industry doesn't provide a magic shortcut to massive and instant returns on investment – despite what some players in the industry might claim. In this blog post, we'll offer a realistic and experienced-based assessment of the investment needed to get a shared mobility venture off the ground.

We will explore how much capital you need to kickstart your own shared mobility business. With experience in supporting over 100 entrepreneurs worldwide, ATOM Mobility is in a good position to understand the financial details.

We'll discuss the essential expenses involved, including vehicles, software, insurance, and operational costs – the aim is to help you make informed decisions and kickstart your entrepreneurial journey with confidence.

Vehicle costs: how much will you pay?

The most significant cost in starting a shared mobility business comes from getting the vehicles.

Here's what you can expect to pay for a single vehicle:

Scooters: 750-1000 EUR
E-bikes: 1300-2500 EUR
Mopeds: 2000-4000 EUR
Cars: 12000-20000 EUR

Considering the higher costs associated with vehicles like mopeds and cars, leasing is also a viable option. However, securing leasing partnerships is more challenging for operators without an established business.

The choice of vehicles will ultimately depend on your business model – whether you want to provide affordable or high-end options. For instance, if you opt for top-of-the-line scooters from brands like Segway and Äike, expect to pay over 1000 EUR per vehicle. On the flip side, you can find scooters as low as 400 EUR on the Chinese market, but such a price tag comes with its own set of risks.

Optimal starting fleet size for scooter-sharing businesses

Assuming you've made your decision on the model and brand, the next question is: how many vehicles should you buy? What's the ideal fleet size to start with?

We will focus on scooters – with their affordable price tag, they have become a favored choice for those looking to venture into the shared mobility industry.

Based on what we've seen, operators kickstart their ventures with fleets of different sizes. Some start with a humble fleet of 20 scooters in their first season and then steadily grow to over 100 vehicles in the following seasons, even diversifying into cars and other modes of transportation.

However, starting with a larger fleet offers distinct advantages. Having a bigger fleet means more people will notice your brand, leading to faster adoption of shared mobility within the local community. In other words – a larger fleet speeds up the process of making shared mobility a part of people's everyday commuting routines.

Another crucial point is that operating costs remain relatively consistent for a fleet of up to 200 vehicles. Beyond that, you'll likely need to expand your team, acquire more vans, secure a larger warehouse, and hire an additional technician. But, if you're starting out small, 20 vehicles instead of 100-200 won't lead to significant cost savings in operating expenses. Therefore, it's more cost-effective to begin with a larger number of vehicles from the outset.

Maintenance and insurance

Maintenance costs are also an important consideration. On average, around 10-15% of your fleet will require ongoing maintenance, depending on the brand and model of the vehicles. With a smaller fleet of 20 scooters, it's statistically likely that 2-3 units will be undergoing repairs at any given time. In case your fleet experiences a series of unfortunate incidents, this percentage can quickly escalate, leading to a decrease in the number of scooters generating revenue.

Securing third-party public liability insurance for smaller fleets, which is required by law to protect pedestrians and riders in the event of accidents, can be a challenging task. No matter the fleet size, operators are required to pay an annual premium. This means that smaller fleets, like those with only 20 scooters, could end up paying the same premium as fleets with 150 scooters. For a smaller business, this expense can be quite prohibitive and difficult to manage. Thus, insurance costs are another reason to consider starting with a bigger fleet.

On average, the insurance costs around 8 EUR per scooter per month (paid annually) for fleets ranging from 100 to 200 scooters. These costs may vary depending on the specific coverage requirements set by local authorities.

Aim for 100 scooters – or 50 if you're low on cash

If we take into account brand visibility, maintenance, and insurance, it’s advisable for new operators to aim for a fleet size of at least 50 scooters. It’s a budget-friendly choice, especially in a location with strong market demand. A fleet of this size can also serve as a market test run.

However, for a more robust start, an ideal fleet size would be 100 scooters. As we mentioned earlier, the operating costs for both 50 and 100 vehicles would be more or less the same. However, opting for 100 vehicles instead of 50 would result in double the revenue. This boost in revenue would make it easier to sustain and expand the business. Having more vehicles would also contribute to better brand visibility in the long run.

Shared mobility software costs and considerations

Once you've got the fleet sorted, the next step is to get your hands on some software.

When it comes to shaping your brand identity, the software you use is just as crucial as the vehicles you offer. Having a top-notch fleet is great, but it won't make a difference if you neglect the software side of your shared mobility service. You want users to easily find, book, and pay for your rides without any trouble.

When it comes to white-label software pricing, it usually involves a one-time setup fee plus a monthly subscription fee based on the number of vehicles – or a dynamic pricing model per usage.

The setup fees for white-label software are typically between 4-10k EUR, depending on the provider and features. The monthly fees will vary based on fleet size or usage.

ATOM Mobility white-label software offers a wide choice of setup options, catering to fleets of all sizes, starting from the smallest and going all the way up to 5k+ vehicles. There is also a special plan for those who want to dip their toes in the water with 20 or fewer vehicles, which doesn’t require a setup fee. It's a great way to test the market and get started without breaking the bank.

Starting your shared mobility venture with 70k

Now that we've got the basics covered, let's crunch some numbers and calculate the amount of money you'll need to kickstart your scooter-sharing business.

Taking into account the costs of vehicles, software, insurance, and other expenses, we're looking at 70,000 EUR.

Here's what you'll need to kickstart your business and keep it running for at least one season:

40k for buying 50 scooters
10k to procure and maintain software for the season
7-10k for insurance coverage
5k for a warehouse
5k for renting a van

On top of that, you need to consider the ongoing operating costs, which will fluctuate based on the size of your fleet. If you have a fleet of 50-150 scooters, it can be efficiently managed by two owners – or one owner and a couple of part-time employees. The expense of charging the vehicles will depend on the local prices in your area.

So, with around 70k in your pocket, you'll have a decent budget to make things happen in the first year. You can prove your concept, test the market, and learn the ropes along the way. And once you've got a solid foundation, scaling up in the second year becomes a lot easier. Investors will feel more confident jumping on board when they see that your business model is actually viable.

Of course, the 70k figure is not set in stone. The actual expenses will vary based on your location and your willingness to take on additional risks. We've had operators who achieved success with just half that budget – but their journey was certainly more nerve-wracking as a result.

With our suggested budget, you'll also have some breathing space for trial and error as you kick off your venture. This kind of money allows for a smoother and less stressful launch – also increasing the chances of steady growth in the next season.

If you're interested in starting your own shared mobility venture, join our ATOM Academy for FREE to learn more and see if it's the right business for you.

If you'd like to explore the software costs in detail, schedule a demo with our team today.

Customizing the ATOM Mobility app – what are your options?

Did you know the ATOM Mobility app is fully customizable to match your brand identity and market needs? Check out this article to learn about your tailoring options!

June 15, 2023

One of the main advantages of using the ATOM Mobility software for your business are the generous customization options. You can tailor ATOM's robust solution to your brand's needs and requirements, allowing it to express your identity loud and clear.

But, for mobility services, it's not just about company branding – it's also about adapting to the environment in which your service operates. The appearance, atmosphere, payment types, and incentives offered should be specifically tailored to align with the preferences and demands of the particular market.

Customization is crucial for business success, as it allows you to become recognizable and memorable and win the hearts of locals. So, how can you do that with the ATOM Mobility app? Is branding the only thing you can customize? Read on to find out!

Creating an app that speaks for you

ATOM Mobility makes app customization incredibly simple and efficient via a powerful operator's (that's you!) dashboard. Besides customization and setting configuration, the dashboard allows you to manage your fleet, team, and customer demands all in one place. You can track your vehicles in real-time, check out customer heat maps and analytics, and more.

But when it comes to the customization of your customer or rider app, here's an overview of all the things you can do to create a unique mobility solution.

Branding

Customizing the ATOM Mobility app starts with the obvious – adding your branding via the dashboard. That includes:

Adding your logo
Adding your specific color scheme
Adding your splash screen – the first graphical notification a user receives when opening any app
Tailoring icons – for example, how the vehicles will appear on the app's map

User tutorials

Adding customized user tutorials to your app will make life notably easier for users and your customer support as well. Users will have basic FAQs covered, and your customer support will have more time to deal with complex issues.

You can add boiled-down user tutorials on anything, and they'll appear in a special tutorials section on your app. Here's a list of commonly chosen user tutorials to inspire you:

How to unlock the vehicle and start the ride
How to end the ride and park the vehicle
How to know where you can park the vehicle
How to understand the app's color scheme of the parking zones
What are the good practices for riding
What are the main safety rules of the ride

Moreover, you can tailor user tutorials by adding images, short videos, and custom descriptions. You can also split each tutorial into several steps to make the information easier to digest.

Pricing and special offers

The ATOM Mobility customer app offers a wide range of options for user pricing, allowing you to choose the best packages for your clientele.

With the ATOM Mobility app, you can bill your users in three ways:

Direct payments via the user's payment card
Digital wallet-based payments
A hybrid of the two

Regarding the digital wallet, the top-up process is also customizable. You can pick the top-up amounts, set several top-up levels, or add an auto top-up option – i.e., if a user's digital wallet reaches X amount of money, it gets automatically topped up by Y amount. Moreover, you can set a minimum balance requirement for the digital wallet to avoid debtors.

Additionally, there are several options for calculating the ride's fee. You can:

Set the pricing per minute, hour, or day
Add a ride unlock fee – a certain amount charged when the user unlocks the vehicle
Add mileage-based pricing
Set a price for when the ride is paused, and more

What's also convenient – the ATOM Mobility app offers the option to add pre-paid subscription packages. There are daily, weekly, or monthly passes available, and you can assign a wide array of credits and deals to each package. For example, any of the app operator's vehicles available for use within the 30-day pass, ten vehicle unlocks + X ride minutes + Y pause minutes available within the daily pass, and more.

Another option available when customizing your app's pricing is setting discounts for vehicles that haven't been used for a certain number of hours. That way, you can promote a more even use of your vehicles.

Parking zones

With ATOM Mobility, you can also customize the vehicle parking zones. This allows you to easily divide your city into areas that are yay or nay for vehicle parking – they'll appear green or red on the app.

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Moreover, you can create the so-called bonus zones – if a vehicle is parked there, a user receives an X% discount on their ride. Adding bonus parking zones helps to incentivize vehicle parking in the “hotspots” of the city – beneficial from the business perspective.

Additionally, you can add paid parking zones where parking isn't forbidden, but the users are charged a certain amount if they park there. Again, this allows you to regulate where your vehicles are parked to get that business ball rolling.

It's also possible to add speed limit zones to your solution to help the users follow the maximum allowed speed in the pedestrian zones. While speed limit compliance should come without saying, we all know that speeding occasionally happens, causing unnecessary traffic accident risks.

Customer support – just the way you want it

Excellent and convenient customer support is the next crucial thing for any well-functioning mobility app. With ATOM Mobility, you can add several customer support options to the app's section:

A shortcut to the user tutorials section
Embedded FAQ section from your business website
Email communication – pop-up windows shortcutting to email
Direct calls communication – pop-up windows shortcutting to, e.g., Whatsapp calls, Messenger calls, regular phone calls
Live chat option with the native Intercom integration

Automated invoices with a twist

A useful feature offered by the ATOM Mobility software is automated invoices. Whenever users finish their ride, they receive an invoice in their inbox, with no manual work from your side.

What is more, the invoices can be customized as well. You can add your branding – logo, color scheme – and tailor the invoice fields, adding the country's VAT, tax reporting requirements, and more.

Referral programs

It's no secret that referral programs can bring in new customers, increase customer loyalty, improve customer satisfaction, lower customer acquisition costs, and more. ATOM Mobility offers adding a referral program to your unique app so you can nab these and other benefits.

You can set up a promo code that your users can distribute to their friends, who will receive a bonus or a discount for their first ride. The promo code distributors will also receive a bonus in their digital wallet or a discount for their next ride after the newcomer completes their first ride.

An extra module or two

With ATOM Mobility, you don't have to stick to one type of mobility service. You can – and you should – expand your business to other verticals whenever you see the possibility.

That's why ATOM Mobility offers the option to place three business modules on your platform – vehicle sharing, ride-hailing, and digital rental. Expand your services, and become the go-to mobility platform of your city in no time.

Building your mobility business with ATOM Mobility

Now that you know the main customization options that the ATOM Mobility app offers, your next step is to dive into crafting your personalized mobility solution. It won't take you heaps of time – we can launch your personalized software suite in as little as 20 days. Plus, 98% of the app customizations can be done via your app operator dashboard.

Our core, your values, and the best mobility solution for your city is born!

ATOM Mobility introduces a loyalty module to their shared mobility platform

ATOM Mobility has introduced a new loyalty module to its white-label shared mobility platform. Users can now engage in fun challenges and earn rewards.

June 7, 2023