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Il bike sharing ha avuto un successo sfrenato negli ultimi dieci anni. Alcune aziende hanno gettato migliaia di biciclette sulle strade della città senza permesso, mentre altre hanno speso un sacco di soldi ma non sono riuscite a capire come realizzare un profitto. Donkey Republic ha adottato un approccio diverso e ha funzionato.
Iniziato a Copenaghen nel 2014, Repubblica degli asini non si è affrettato ad espandersi o ad affidarsi a grandi investitori. Invece, si è concentrata sulla collaborazione con le città, sulla semplicità delle cose e sulla garanzia che l'azienda potesse effettivamente fare soldi. Nel 2023, la società ha guadagnato 15,4 milioni di euro (115,2 milioni di DKK), in crescita del 70% rispetto all'anno precedente e, cosa ancora più importante, ha realizzato un utile di 1,27 milioni di euro (9,5 milioni di DKK).
Da una semplice idea a un business in crescita
Il fondatore dell'azienda, Erdem Ovacik, ha avuto l'idea quando ha visto un amico usare lucchetti a combinazione per condividere le biciclette con altri a Copenaghen. Pensò che ci dovesse essere un modo migliore. La risposta? Un'app mobile e serrature intelligenti, in modo che le persone potessero noleggiare una bicicletta rapidamente senza bisogno di una docking station.
Nel 2015, Donkey Republic ha iniziato con solo 30 biciclette. Invece di inondare le strade di biciclette e sperare per il meglio, ha collaborato direttamente con i governi delle città per ottenere l'approvazione. Ciò ha contribuito a evitare i problemi che piacciono alle aziende Ofo e Cellulari affrontati quando si sono espansi troppo velocemente e poi sono crollati.
La chiave per non esagerare
Molte aziende produttrici di bici e scooter cercano di crescere il più velocemente possibile, spendendo un sacco di soldi e sperando di ottenere un profitto in seguito. Donkey Republic non l'ha fatto. Entro il 2020, si era esteso a 13 paesi, tra cui Germania, Spagna, Paesi Bassi e Finlandia, ma sempre in modo controllato.
Gran parte del suo successo deriva dal lavorare con le città invece di combatterle. Invece di limitarsi a far cadere le bici per strada sperando che nessuno si lamenti, Donkey Republic ha stretto accordi con i governi locali. Ciò significa che l'azienda non deve preoccuparsi tanto di divieti improvvisi o di modifiche alle regole.
Ad esempio, nel 2023, Parigi ha vietato il noleggio di scooter elettrici, il che è stato un disastro per altre società. Ma poiché Donkey Republic si concentra sulle biciclette, non ne è stata influenzata.
Crescita finanziaria e traguardi chiave
Donkey Republic ha mostrato progressi finanziari impressionanti negli ultimi anni. Nel 2023, la società ha registrato un fatturato di 115,2 milioni di DKK, con un aumento del 70% rispetto all'anno precedente. Ancora più importante, ha raggiunto un EBITDA (utile prima di interessi, tasse, deprezzamento e ammortamento) positivo di 9,5 milioni di DKK, segnando una svolta verso la redditività.

Il 2024 è stato ancora più forte per Donkey Republic. La società ha registrato un fatturato di 145 milioni di DKK, con un aumento del 25% rispetto al 2023. Per la prima volta, ha inoltre registrato un EBIT positivo di 1 milione di DKK. Ciò dimostra che la loro strategia a lungo termine di collaborazione con le città e di ottimizzazione delle operazioni sta dando i suoi frutti.
Cosa rende Donkey Republic diverso?
Diversi fattori hanno contribuito al successo di Donkey Republic:
- Enfatizza le partnership — Piuttosto che competere con le città, lavorano al loro fianco, stringendo accordi a lungo termine che favoriscano la stabilità e la crescita. Circa il 30% delle loro entrate proviene da contratti a lungo termine B2G e B2B, compresi i sussidi.
- Approccio basato sulla tecnologia — Le loro serrature intelligenti e il noleggio basato su app consentono agli utenti di trovare e utilizzare facilmente le biciclette in qualsiasi momento.
- Sostenibilità finanziaria — Mentre alcune società di bike sharing lottano con la redditività, Donkey Republic è riuscita a far crescere i ricavi mantenendo i costi sotto controllo.
- Impegno per la sostenibilità — Promuovendo la bicicletta come alternativa alle auto, contribuiscono a città più pulite e meno congestionate.
Quali sono le prospettive per Donkey Republic
Sebbene Donkey Republic abbia dimostrato che la micromobilità può essere redditizia, la strada da percorrere non è priva di sfide. La concorrenza è agguerrita e altre aziende stanno rapidamente ampliando le proprie flotte di e-bike per competere nello spazio di Donkey Republic. Inoltre, le partnership tra città offrono stabilità, ma limitano anche la rapida espansione: i contratti comunali richiedono tempo per essere garantiti e alcune città preferiscono investire nei propri programmi pubblici di bike sharing.
Tuttavia, Donkey Republic scommette che la domanda di trasporti sostenibili e rispettosi delle città non farà che crescere. Con le aree urbane di tutta Europa che stanno reprimendo l'uso dell'auto, come la Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) di Londra e le politiche di restrizione delle auto di Parigi, il bike sharing è ben posizionato per prosperare.
Quindi, mentre gli operatori di scooter continuano a lottare contro i problemi normativi e i profitti, Donkey Republic sta dimostrando che un approccio disciplinato e incentrato sulla città potrebbe essere la chiave per un successo duraturo nella micromobilità.
Fai clic qui sotto per saperne di più o richiedere una demo.

🚕 Web-booker is a lightweight ride-hail widget that lets users book rides directly from a website or mobile browser - no app install required. It reduces booking friction, supports hotel and partner demand, and keeps every ride fully synced with the taxi operator’s app and dashboard.
What if ordering a taxi was as easy as booking a room or clicking “Reserve table” on a website?
Meet Web-booker - a lightweight ride-hail booking widget that lets users request a cab directly from a website, without installing or opening the mobile app.
Perfect for hotels, business centers, event venues, airports, and corporate partners.
👉 Live demo: https://app.atommobility.com/taxi-widget
What is Web-booker?
Web-booker is a browser-based ride-hail widget that operators can embed or link to from any website.
The booking happens on the web, but the ride is fully synchronized with the mobile app and operator dashboard.
How it works (simple by design)
- Client places a button or link on their website
- Clicking it opens a new window with the ride-hail widget
- The widget is branded, localized, and connected directly to the operator’s system
- Booking instantly appears in the dashboard and mobile app
No redirects. No app-store friction. No lost users.
Key capabilities operators care about

🎨 Branded & consistent
- Widget color automatically matches the client’s app branding
- Feels like a natural extension of the operator’s ecosystem
- Fully responsive and optimized for mobile browsers, so users can book a ride directly from their phone without installing the app
📱 App growth built in
- QR code and App Store / Google Play links shown directly in the widget
- Smooth upgrade path from web → app
🔄 Fully synced ecosystem
- Country code auto-selected based on user location
- Book via web → see the ride in the app (same user credentials)
- Dashboard receives booking data instantly
- Every booking is tagged with Source:
- App
- Web (dashboard bookings)
- Booker (website widget)
- API
🔐 Clean & secure session handling
- User is logged out automatically when leaving the page
- No persistent browser sessions
💵 Payments logic
- New users: cash only
- Existing users: can choose saved payment methods
- If cash is not enabled → clear message prompts booking via the app
This keeps fraud low while preserving conversion.
✅ Default rollout
- Enabled by default for all ride-hail merchants
- No extra setup required
- Operators decide where and how to use it (hotel partners, landing pages, QR posters, etc.)
Why this matters in practice
Web-booker addresses one of the most common friction points in ride-hailing: users who need a ride now but are not willing to download an app first. By allowing bookings directly from a website, operators can capture high-intent demand at the exact moment it occurs - whether that is on a hotel website, an event page, or a partner landing page.
At the same time, Web-booker makes partnerships with hotels and venues significantly easier. Instead of complex integrations or manual ordering flows, partners can simply place a button or link and immediately enable ride ordering for their guests. Importantly, this approach does not block long-term app growth. The booking flow still promotes the mobile app through QR codes and store links, allowing operators to convert web users into app users over time - without forcing the install upfront.
Web-booker is not designed to replace the mobile app. It extends the acquisition funnel by adding a low-friction entry point, while keeping all bookings fully synchronized with the operator’s app and dashboard.
👉 Try the demo
https://app.atommobility.com/taxi-widget

🚲 Cleaner air, less traffic, and better city living - bike-sharing apps are making it happen. With seamless apps, smart integration, and the right infrastructure, shared bikes are becoming a real alternative to cars in cities across Europe.💡 See how bike-sharing supports sustainable mobility and what cities and operators can do to get it right.
Bike-sharing apps are reshaping urban mobility. What began as a practical way to get around without owning a bike is now part of a bigger shift toward sustainable transport.
These services are doing more than replacing short car trips. They help cities cut emissions, reduce congestion, improve health, and connect better with public transport.
As more cities rethink how people move, bike sharing continues to grow as one of the fastest and most affordable tools to support this change.
Why bike sharing is important
Bike-sharing services now operate in over 150 European cities, with more than 438,000 bikes in circulation. These systems help prevent around 46,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually and reduce reliance on private cars in dense urban areas. They also improve air quality, lower noise levels, and make cities more pleasant to live in.
A recent study by EIT Urban Mobility and Cycling Industries Europe, carried out by EY, found that bike-sharing services generate around €305 million in annual benefits across Europe. This includes reduced emissions, lower healthcare costs, time saved from less congestion, and broader access to jobs and services.
For cities, the numbers speak for themselves: every euro invested yields a 10% annual return, generating €1.10 in positive externalities. By 2030, these benefits could triple to €1 billion if bike-sharing is prioritized.
Connecting with public transport
Bike sharing works best when it fits into the wider transport system. Most car trips that bike sharing replaces are short and often happen when public transport doesn’t quite reach the destination. That last kilometer between a bus stop and your home or office can be enough to make people choose the car instead.
Placing shared bikes near metro stations, tram stops, or bus terminals makes it easier for people to leave their cars behind. This “last-mile” connection helps more people use public transport for the long part of their trip and hop on a bike for the short part. Over time, that encourages more consistent use of both bikes and transit.
In cities where bike sharing is integrated into travel passes or mobility platforms, users can combine modes in a single journey. That flexibility supports wider access and makes shared bikes part of everyday mobility, not just something used occasionally.
What the app brings to the experience
The digital experience behind bike sharing is a big part of why it works. People can check availability, unlock a bike, pay, and end their trip – all in one app. This makes it quick, simple, and consistent.
Good bike-sharing apps also offer:
- Real-time vehicle status
- Contactless ID verification and onboarding
- Support for short trips and subscriptions
- Usage history and cost tracking
- Optional features like carbon savings or route suggestions
When users don’t need to think twice about how the system works, they’re more likely to build regular habits around it. That habit shift is what makes a long-term difference for both users and cities.
Wider city-level benefits
Bike sharing isn’t just a transport service. It helps cities meet public goals – cleaner air, lower traffic, healthier residents, and better access to services. When someone chooses a bike instead of a car, it reduces the demand for fuel, parking, and space on the road.
The €305 million annual benefit includes health savings due to increased physical activity, avoided emissions, time gained from reduced congestion, and the creation of jobs tied to fleet operations. Many bike-sharing schemes also improve equity by giving people access to mobility in areas that are underserved by public transport or where car ownership isn’t affordable.
Shared bikes are especially useful in mid-sized cities where distances are manageable and car traffic still dominates. With the right policy support, even small fleets can have a noticeable impact on mobility patterns and public health.
What makes a system work well
Not every bike-sharing system succeeds. To be reliable and scalable, a few things must work together:
- Safe, protected bike lanes
- Well-placed stations near high-demand areas
- Bikes that are easy to maintain and manage
- Operators that monitor usage and shift bikes to where they’re needed
- City policies that support cycling and reduce reliance on cars
Successful systems often grow in partnership with city governments, public transport agencies, and private operators who bring technology, logistics, and know-how.
The role of software and operations
Reliable software is what keeps all parts of the system connected. From unlocking a bike to seeing usage trends across the city, operators need tools that are stable, flexible, and easy to manage. For those launching or scaling a fleet, platforms like ATOM Mobility offer ready-made solutions that handle booking, payments, ID checks, live tracking, and fleet control in one place.

The platform supports both electric and mechanical bikes, offers branded apps, and integrates with smart locks or IoT modules for remote vehicle access. It also lets operators adjust pricing, monitor vehicle health, and manage customer support in real time. That means smaller teams can launch faster and scale smarter, without having to build every tool from scratch.
A small change with a big effect
Bike sharing won’t replace all car trips, but even a small shift makes a difference. A few short rides per week can reduce emissions, improve fitness, and save time spent in traffic. When these trips are supported by good infrastructure, public awareness, and seamless apps, the impact grows.
As cities continue to prioritise sustainability, shared micromobility will play a bigger role in helping people move in cleaner, healthier, and more flexible ways. With the right technology and planning, bike sharing becomes more than a service – it becomes a habit that supports better cities for everyone.


