This SMART 100 profile and the information it contains is a duplication of content submitted by the applicant during the entry process. As a function of entry, applicants were required to declare that all details are factually correct, do not infringe on another’s intellectual property and are not unlawful, threatening, defamatory, invasive of privacy, obscene, or otherwise objectionable. Some profiles have been edited for reasons of space and clarity.
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1. THE BEGINNING
This innovation initially came to life when…
…we witnessed the phenomenal rise of bike sharing and electric bikes around the globe: bike sharing grew from just 13 systems in 2004 to over 1000 in 2016, and electric bikes are the world’s fastest growing transport mode.
However, we realised that traditional bike share systems offer just one model of expensive custom-built fleet bike, which duplicate the existing stock of idle private bikes.
We also saw that there were no public charging stations for electric bikes like there is for electric cars.
We were determined to invent a system that addresses both of these large market opportunities.
2. WHAT & HOW
The purpose of this innovation is to…
…provide ‘Bikes-as-a-service’ by creating a smart bike docking system that:
1. Instantly clamps any bike with no need for bike locks
2. Safely charges any electric bike without exposed leads
3. Gives every bike a unique ID, enabling universal sharing.
It does this by…
…fitting any bike with SmartPegs: an e-tag and clamping point for bikes when docking in CyclePorts.
CyclePorts are smart ‘plug and play’ units, which click together to form parking stations of any size with many layouts.
Stations link wirelessly to create automated bike share networks, operating 24/7/365 without staff. The flexible software platform is rapidly configurable to any client’s needs.
3. PURPOSE & BENEFITS
This innovation improves on what came before because…
…traditional bike share systems are either:
1. Dock-based and restricted to one bike model; or
2. Dock-free, where share bikes are fitted with smart-phone activated locks. While cheap and flexible, these systems lead to dumping, theft, hoarding and messy clutter.
CyclePort combines the control of dock-based systems with the flexibility and affordability of dock-free systems, while creating public charging stations.
Its various benefits to the customer/end-user include…
CyclePort avoids the need for cyclists to carry bike locks or battery chargers. And by giving every bike a unique ID, it enables universal peer-to-peer sharing (AirBnB for bikes) and city authorities the ability to identify owners and control parking.
4. COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
In the past, this problem was solved by…
…cyclists tethering their bike to any immovable object. For example, in Amsterdam where bikes outnumber people, authorities remove 75,000 illegally parked or abandoned anonymous bikes every year.
In China and many other countries, electric bikes are charged haphazardly with power leads trailing dangerously across roads, footpaths and parking lots.
Current smart bike docking and sharing systems are all ‘one-size-fits-all’.
Its predecessors/competitors include…
Mobike, Ofo and Bluegogo are Chinese dock-free bike share systems competing for world bike share domination. But these systems are experiencing significant backlash from cities who wish to control bike parking and sharing, e.g. Shanghai, San Francisco, Cambridge and Singapore.
5. TARGET MARKET
It is made for…
CyclePort has several applications and thus different target markets:
Cities and towns at all scales that seek an affordable, flexible and scalable bike share system capable of charging electric bikes.
Universities and schools – shared fleets for students and staff.
Offices, apartments, hospitals and retail precincts – shared bike fleets and private parking for tenants/customers.
Hotels, resorts and holiday parks – automated bike fleets for guests and tourists.
Transport authorities – wishing to seamlessly integrate bikes into their public transport networks.
It is available for sale through…
…direct negotiation with business and government clients, who find us through the marketing channels described below.
Our marketing strategy is to…
…attend trade shows and conferences – e.g. Intelligent Transport Systems World Congress (Melbourne), Bike Futures (Sydney), Velo-City (Netherlands), Eurobike (Germany), Australian Cycling and Walking Conference (Adelaide).
Generate social media – FaceBook, Twitter, Linked In and CyclePort website.
Seek government grants, industry awards and accolades – e.g. this application!
Create a community of interest in government, industry, cycling and venture capital.
FINE PRINT: This SMART 100 profile and the information it contains is a duplication of content submitted by the applicant during the entry process. As a function of entry, applicants were required to declare that all details are factually correct, do not infringe on another’s intellectual property and are not unlawful, threatening, defamatory, invasive of privacy, obscene, or otherwise objectionable. Some profiles have been edited for reasons of space and clarity.
