LILLE, France - Decathlon Pulse, the investment arm and start-up studio of retail giant Decathlon, and Rebike, well known in the DACH region (Germany, Austria and Switzerland) for the refurbishment and sale of second-hand e-bikes, have teamed-up through an investment to boost refurbished e-bike sales in Europe.
AMSTERDAM, the Netherlands - Support from Pon.Bike makes it possible for Ziemi to venture its innovative bicycle lighting system into international markets. Pon.Bike is, among others, the largest of seven parties that recently participated in an investment round raising €300,000.
LONDON, England - Skarper, which was founded in 2020, has secured £4.5m (€5.1 million) in additional financing from a syndicate of prominent investors for developing its portable drive system. The start-up will use the investment to deliver its first products to the market in Q4 of this year.
BRUSSELS, Belgium - The omnichannel brand Cowboy has announced a new strategic investor. Cypress Capital is leading a €5 million financing round supported by existing investors. Hongkong based Cypress Capital invested €3 million while other existing Cowboy partners Index Ventures, Hardware Club, Future Positive Capital, Isomer, and Exor together invested another €2 million.
ROTORUA, New Zealand - Start-up Bike Matrix has secured a significant NZ$2 million (€1.1 million) investment from within the bicycle industry. "This investment from within the bicycle industry, brings invaluable market validation, experience, and expertise from a seasoned industry insider." The name of the investor remains undisclosed but Bike Matrix co-founder Adam Townsend confirmed to Bike Europe that it is a component manufacturer.
LOS ANGELES, US - "The bicycle industry can expect a gradual recovery with significant upside in the medium to long term, with 2026 and 2027 marking pivotal years for increased mergers and acquisitions and investment opportunities." This is the conclusion of a new report led by global investment bank Houlihan Lokey. In contrast to the current market conditions, the study indicates that another boom period for the industry is also possible before the end of the decade.
CAMBRIDGE, UK - Barclays Sustainable Impact Capital, Mercia Ventures, the Midlands Engine Investment Fund (MEIF) and Green Angel Syndicate have invested £4 million (€3.4 million) in cargobike manufacturer and logistics provider Zedify. Since its foundation in 2015, Zedify has raised a total of £14.1 million (€11.9 million).
DULUTH, Georgia - Fox Factory Holding started 2024 with a net sales drop of 16.6% to $333.47 million (€309.91 million) compared with 2023. In a move signaling confidence in the company, Michael Dennison, the chief executive officer of Fox Factory Holding Corp has purchased shares of the company's stock amounting to a total of $498,375.
ZEIST, the Netherlands - The combination of economic and political challenges created difficult times for the international bicycle industry. However, for financial specialist Ralf Kindermann the component of green mobility still makes the bicycle industry highly attractive for investors. What other trends in the market, including the digitalisation in the supply chain, the current oversupply in combination with price increase and sustainability will lead the market this year?
EDINBURGH, Scotland - A 9-digit private growth-equity fund which has already supported Rebike, Bike Club and Grover in the micromobility sector, acknowledges that a new generation of businesses are helping to pioneer the sector's circular future. However, "circular innovations deserve a specialist investor," explains Andrew Shannon, founding partner of Circularity Capital.
HELSINKI, Finland - Vapaus Bikes Finland Oy, has secured a €15 million loan to drive growth and international expansion in the employee benefit bikes sector. Besides scaling up in Finland and Sweden, further internationalisation is being considered. Boasting a mature and scalable business model, the mobility service provider has seen its net revenues rise from €4.5 million in 2021 to over €30 million in 2023.
NUNSPEET, the Netherlands - High inventory level continues to be troublesome for the once successful Dutch e-bike brand Stella E-bikes. Investor DM Equity Partners, who previously held a 35% stake has seized power at the e-bike manufacturer and obtained a majority of the shares.
LONDON, England - Laka, an insurtech providing a range of insurance and circular economy services to e-bike riders, cyclists and companies has announced a €7.6 million funding round as it "doubles down on growth" with the rise of e-bike sales in Europe. Additionally, the Porsche-backed company has acquired French e-bike broker Cylanto to expand its presence in France.
