INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
On-demand mobility, when done successfully, strikes a balance between demand and supply while providing reliable service and making a
It a sweet spot that can be difficult, if not impossible, to find.
Autofleet, a startup that develops fleet optimization software to
redirect underused vehicles into ride-hailing and delivery services, wants to solve that mission impossible
Now, the company founded by former Avis and Gett employees, has raised $7.5 million in seed and Series A funding to expand into
international markets and grow its research and development team.
The Series A was led by MizMaa Ventures with participation from Maniv
Mobility, Next Gear Ventures and Liil Ventures
Its seed financing was led by Maniv Mobility.
Autofleet developed a fleet management platform that can be used by rental car companies, car
sharing operators and automakers to launch or better manage mobility services
The platform includes a booking app and integrations to delivery services, demand prediction, pooling and optimization algorithms as well as
a driver app, and control center
The company also has developed a simulator tool that lets operators plan how a fleet will be deployed before a single vehicle hits the
road.
For example, a rental company with abundant inventory and little demand for traditional multi-day contracts could use the platform to
launch and then manage a car-sharing service
Autofleet already has partnerships with Avis Budget Group, Zipcar, Keolis and Suzuki .
That focus on managing supply side constraints is
what attracted Maniv Mobility to invest in the seeding and Series A rounds, according the firm general partner Olaf Sakkers.
Autofleet
biggest markets today are in Europe and the U.S., CEO Kobi Eisenberg told TechCrunch
The company is seeing early traction and fast growth in Latin America and Asia-Pacific
Eisenberg said they plan to double down on these markets.The company also expects to announce a partnership in Asia to accelerate growth in
that region.
Autofleet is also looking for new opportunities for how vehicle fleets can be used, including ways to help micromobility
companies improve their unit economics, according to Eisenberg.
In this age of COVID-19 — when asset-heavy businesses like rental car
companies have seen their businesses upended — Autofleet has already discovered new uses for its platform
The platform is being used to help companies shift fleets to meet today demand for logistics and medical transportation
Autofleet is also selling its platform to companies looking to leverage their vehicle assets for their delivery services.
&We&re hearing
from fleet partners around the globe who are experiencing dramatic drops in demand, and therefore significant portions of their fleet and
drivers are un-utilized,& Eisenberg said
&At the same time, we have seen a sharp increase in demand for delivery services from businesses across all verticals: retail and
supermarkets, restaurants.&
