Taiwan’s leading e-scooter sharing startup WeMo Scooter announced that it has successfully closed a multi-million dollar Series A funding round led by AppWorks, its first investment into Taiwan’s burgeoning smart mobility sector.

WeMo Scooter will use this round of financing to continue growing its service coverage for riders in key cities across Taiwan, while also laying the seeds for Southeast Asia expansion. Having now recorded millions of successful rides in Taiwan with its proprietary electric vehicle fleet management system, the company is uniquely positioned to help countries across the region accelerate the transition to smart cities.

In support of its international ambitions, the company plans to use the recently raised funds to further grow its “Internet of Vehicles” (IoV) R&D center in Taiwan, which will look to recruit up to 100 hardware and software engineers over the next 3 years. The company will be looking to substantially enhance its R&D capabilities, recruiting talents with experience in not only front-end/back-end development, but also self-driving technology, vehicle telematics, or machine learning—all dedicated to cultivating the latest advancements in connected mobility from the ground up.

Jeffrey Wu, the founder and CEO of WeMo Scooter says “WeMo has the potential to completely revolutionize transportation. At our core, we’re a technology-driven company, with a strong and open engineering culture offering competitive salaries. Our vision is to become the leading Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) provider in Asia, enabling countries across the region to create cleaner, smarter, and more tech-enabled transportation ecosystems of their own. We’re now actively searching for capable talents that can help us achieve that goal.”

WeMo Scooter’s existing IoV technology and experience in big data analytics has been instrumental in creating the most comprehensive and seamless e-scooter sharing network in Taiwan. The company has deployed more than 7,000 e-scooters across Taipei City, New Taipei City, and Kaohsiung City. Its user-friendly app offers convenient features such as digital ID verification and a “quick ride” function, allowing WeMo to quickly scale its operations nationwide, now facilitating roughly 1 million trips per month to both local commuters and international tourists. It’s also the first to introduce various pricing methods to meet rider needs, encompassing per minute and hourly rates, as well as monthly rental plans.

The IoT smart black box integrated in each of its e-scooters was fully developed in-house, and not only helps the company effectively manage its extensive fleet, but also provides valuable operating and environmental data to drive transportation policies and improve rider safety. It can also be embedded into different vehicle types and repurposed for alternative applications such as smart parking or battery management solutions for enterprises.

WeMo Scooter joined AppWorks Accelerator #12 (AW#12) in 2016 in an effort to jumpstart early traction. The company continued to grow and now has additional investments from AppWorks’ funds. Chairman and partner of AppWorks, Jamie Lin says “when the 5G era comes, it will inevitably bring a huge shift to global IoV technologies and industrial development. Since their time in AppWorks Accelerator, WeMo Scooter has demonstrated their strength in R&D technology and smart transportation operations. With our participation in this round, we look forward to not only helping the company solidify its leading position in Taiwan, but also lay the building blocks that will transform WeMo Scooter into a regional and international success story.”

About WeMo Scooter

WeMo Scooter launched in 2016, providing a smarter travel option with an easy to use vehicle sharing service. With the freedom to ride anywhere, anytime, WeMo Scooter’s smart vehicle rental service is the largest and most established in Taiwan. Open around the clock, WeMo’s services can be accessed through the app and rented at multiple public and cooperating parking lots. With live tracking features, 24/7 customer service, and insurance for all users, WeMo takes care of the small things to provide a safe and hassle-free experience for riders.

WeMo Scooter initially established itself in Greater Taipei and later expanded to Kaohsiung in 2019. Each scooter is equipped with an IoT smart black box and multiple data sensors. The data collected can be used in urban transportation reforms such as the road-smoothing project. Smart electric vehicles are able to automatically optimize their services. WeMo is determined to create an innovative rental transportation experience and is committed to leading the industry in Taiwan’s evolution to smart green travel. In 2019, WeMo Scooter launched its IoT smart parking solution, enabling users to enter designated parking lots without the need for cards, cash, or any parking fees. WeMo Scooter also launched the official LINE account service in 2020. Allowing members to register and rent scooters through the LINE app, user experience and day-to-day communications are even more unified.

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持續打造領先智慧共享電動機車服務的台灣本土車聯網新創 WeMo Scooter 威摩科技，宣佈完成 A 輪融資，由 AppWorks 之初創投領投，規模達上億元新台幣。

這是 AppWorks 在台灣第一個智慧運輸領域新創投資案，完成本輪融資後， WeMo Scooter 將持續深耕台灣市場，同時啟動海外佈局，將具優勢的電動機車聯網平台經濟營運經驗複製到國際市場，加速台灣廠商佈局全球智慧城市軟硬體供應鏈；即刻啟動車聯網研發中心，並擴大徵才計畫，培育百位以上車聯網軟硬體人才。

台灣每月近百萬騎乘次，車聯網平台經濟創新先行者

成立於 2016 年，WeMo Scooter 以軟、硬體整合研發核心技術，打造亞洲第一個智慧車聯網共享機車服務，運用 App 智慧租借與隨租隨還的便捷模式，在台灣智慧交通領域領先群雄外，更是亞洲共享交通市場的先行者。

WeMo Scooter 提供的共享電動機車服務，營運範圍目前涵蓋台北、新北與高雄市，用戶除一般通勤族更包含國際觀光客，每月可創造近百萬次騎乘次數。為滿足用戶需求，WeMo Scooter 更率先推出有別於傳統分鐘計價的月租與小時短租吃到飽的多元創新計價方式。此外，也開發特約合作停車場供會員免費停車等創新服務，以推動智慧城市生態系。未來 WeMo Scooter 將持續拓展營運範圍及提供智慧出行服務，預計帶動地方交通動能與產業發展。

獨家車聯網智慧控制盒，海外佈局輸出智慧城市移動解決方案

在台灣成功實現第一階段發展後，WeMo Scooter 將繼續運用經驗展開海外佈局，在全球打造智慧城市生活圈：輸出智慧車聯網交通移動解決方案。

WeMo Scooter 利用獨家研發的車聯網智慧控制盒，結合不同交通運具並應用於車隊管理系統平台、智慧停車解決方案與充電管理系統上，WeMo Scooter 將以這幾大應用面向加速發展全球化佈局與海外 B2B 市場。

此外，WeMo Scooter 所有車輛皆裝載多種感測器，將致用於蒐集環境大數據，並應用在建立交通政策模型，進而提升並優化城市智慧化，成為智慧城市發展的最佳夥伴，並持續將車聯網、大數據應用的技術，融入國際智慧城市的生態圈。

WeMo Scooter 創辦人吳昕霈：台灣可以成為全球 MaaS 服務領先者

WeMo Scooter 創辦人暨執行長吳昕霈表示：「WeMo Scooter 擁有改變智慧交通的關鍵技術，不僅可用於共享電動機車，也將與地方政府及硬體廠商共同合作，運用車聯網、大數據搜集等技術，成為提供交通運輸行動服務 (MaaS) 的領先者。」

因應未來重大發展計畫，人才將是 WeMo Scooter 最重要的成長引擎。執行長吳昕霈擁有麥肯錫顧問國際專業經理人視野，共同創辦人暨科技長鄭捷則在智慧車聯網通訊領域累積多年經驗，兩人共同引領 WeMo Scooter 台灣團隊，在科技與物流產業國際經理人團隊奠定的基礎下，期望結合台灣豐沛的軟硬體人才資源，邁向國際市場。

設立車聯網研發中心，3年培育百位軟硬體人才

為達成擴大台灣市場與海外佈局營運目標，WeMo Scooter 同時宣佈，將即刻啟動車聯網研發中心，並擴大徵才計畫，預計 3 年內培植上百位海內、外車聯網軟硬體科技人才；引領台灣在車聯網技術研發深耕與國際產業鏈投資佈局。

WeMo Scooter 於 2016 年加入 AppWorks Accelerator #12 (AW#12) 創業加速器，畢業後持續成長，如今則進一步取得 AppWorks Funds 投資。AppWorks 董事長暨合夥人林之晨表示：「當 5G 時代來臨，勢必為全球車聯網科技與產業發展帶來巨大的典範轉移，從 AppWorks Accelerator 時期，WeMo Scooter 就展現車聯網科技研發與智慧交通營運的實力。現在完成重要的 A 輪募資，計畫啟動國際拓展，優秀、有企圖心的人才，可以在此刻加入 WeMo Scooter，親身參與打造一個區域級、國際級的成功故事。」

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隨著武漢肺炎疫情在亞洲持續升溫，讓新創募資活動大減之際，今日 (3/10) 在香港與台灣兩地的新創圈，傳來久違的好消息。提供業界領先的行銷機器人訂閱服務 (SaaS)、來自香港的新創 Omnichat，在今日宣布完成 2,400 萬新台幣種子輪融資，由 AppWorks 領投，其他投資人則包括 The Aria Group。

正當疫情持續衝擊實體經濟，商業活動加速轉往數位化、線上化、電商化的過程中，AppWorks 看好 Omnichat 在這樣的商業結構轉變中，所展現的成長潛力。AppWorks 董事長暨合夥人林之晨認為，數位典範轉移正在各領域產生廣泛影響，當這波疫情過去，大家將發現，這次將為商業運作帶來巨大且不可逆的結果，那就是傳統模式在過程中的加速萎縮，而新經濟則是順勢接管。林之晨進一步指出：「Omnichat 擁有優秀的團隊，他們根據自己以往作為網路賣家的親身經驗，打造出專為線上商家設計的行銷自動化技術，因此迅速獲得客戶的熱愛。」

在行銷社群化、訊息碎片化的時代，Omnichat 可協助電商客戶進行跨通訊平台的行銷方案，轉換率比電商整體平均高 3 到 7 倍。Omnichat 專攻的跨平台行銷，包括從 Facebook 粉專及官網獲取名單、追蹤顧客瀏覽行為、網站內自動導購、離站後進行 Facebook / LINE / WhatsApp 再行銷，並且擁有自行研發的客服系統，整合網站、LINE、Facebook Messenger、WhatsApp 顧客對話到一個平台，鎖定現代電商需要同時兼顧社群經營、行銷轉換率的需求。 

從香港一路過關斬將，Omnichat 在台灣嶄露頭角

Omnichat 的創業主題，來自共同創辦人陳正達 (圖左) 過往經營電商的痛點。他在香港創辦電商網站的過程中，發現經常因為無法即時回覆顧客在網站上的詢問，直接導致錯失訂單的遺憾，於是在 2017 年投入研發「網站即時客服」技術，開啟了軟體創業之路。

2018 年，陳正達來台加入 AppWorks Accelerator，而後順利完成加速計畫，成為 AW#16 校友。在 AppWorks 協助下，Omnichat 成功與 91APP、WACA、EasyStore、Cyberbiz (AW#14) 等多家台灣、星馬電商開店平台展開深度的技術合作，持續進行技術串接，例如會員資料串聯、LINE / Messenger 訂單通知機器人等功能，讓 Omnichat 持續在台灣居於領先。具有營運電商平台經驗的另一位共同創辦人龐榮林 (圖右)，也在隨後加入。

看好台灣市場的發展潛力，Omnichat 正持續深耕這塊市場。陳正達指出：「台灣電商普及，發展也十分成熟，即使是小型電商，也都非常重視流量、數據分析、會員經營、行銷轉換率等指標，非常符合 Omnichat 的特色，加上軟體安裝簡單，很適合推廣給電商使用。」

整體而言，Omnichat 能為電商客戶帶來顯著的業績成長，例如，轉換率比電商整體平均高 3 到 7 倍。截至 2019 年底，Omnichat 在一年內用戶已累積到 3,600 個商家，其中超過七成來自台灣，台灣團隊人數也是香港團隊的 3 倍。包括 HH 草本新淨界、TOYSELECT 拓伊生活、萬年東海模型玩具等台灣知名電商品牌，都是 Omnichat 的客戶，自動導購訊息帶來的轉換率，是過往平均的 5 到 10 倍；此外，Omnichat 的網站客服、自動訊息等功能，可讓電商每一次與顧客的對話，都成為傳遞溫度、延續顧客忠誠度的連結，例如 BONNY & READ、烘焙找材料 (AW#16) 等，也將 Omnichat 作為會員經營的重要工具。

肺炎疫情升溫，Omnichat 協助客戶快速因應

Omnichat 為零售及電商客戶創造的價值，也在這波疫情升溫之際展現。例如，兩家分別銷售藥妝、女性健康商品的台灣電商，相關防疫商品面對突如其來的爆量訂單，兩家來自網站或社群平台的客服訊息在 2 月分別成長了 180% 與 250%，得以順利處理，凸顯出使用 Omnichat 跨平台即時客服的重要性，因為能直接透過與顧客的線上對話，了解購物背後的動機、情境，快速轉為客服的能量，為電商客戶創造其他純聊天機器人廠商無法展現的附加價值。

展望未來，Omnichat 除了預計在 2020 年將擴大整合新通訊平台如 WeChat、Telegram 等，也將在台灣串連電商生態系，開啟聯盟技術合作。從過往的客戶經驗中，Omnichat 發現電商的成功，背後需要整合許多專業領域，包含廣告投放、整合行銷、社群經營、體驗設計，而這些，都是跨平台行銷運轉成功的關鍵。因此，Omnichat 在 2020 年將啟動「聯盟計畫」，邀請更多數位行銷相關的企業、代理商、顧問公司加入，讓「跨平台對話商務」的概念，快速伸展到更多電商領域，打造更成熟、更創新的電商產業應用。

香港新創 ＋ 台灣市場經驗，輸出至大東南亞

對台灣與香港電商、新創圈另一個重要的意義，則是 Omnichat 可望成為少數將「香港新創 ＋ 台灣市場經驗」模式輸出至大東南亞 (東協 + 台灣) 的案例。根據統計，台灣電商市場規模達 427 億美元，在大東南亞居於領先，比第二大的印尼 210 億美元還大一倍，領先且成熟的發展，是孕育各種與電商相關新創的最佳場域。

挾著立足於台灣電商產業的高速成長，Omnichat 在 2020 年將繼續深耕台灣，累積出更完整的經驗曲線與競爭優勢後，預計在 2021 年啟動大東南亞拓展計畫，第一階段鎖定新加坡與馬來西亞兩個國家。不論是對台灣或是香港的新創而言，Omnichat 快速崛起的過程，也因此有更深一層的啟發與示範，因為 Omnichat 代表兩地的創業生態系，有更多一起合作拓展大東南亞市場的可能性。

【歡迎所有 AI / IoT、Blockchain、佈局東南亞的創業者，加入專為你們服務的 AppWorks Accelerator】

Dapper Labs, the company behind CryptoKitties and upcoming projects such as NBA Top Shot, today announced $11M in funding and the development of Flow, a new blockchain built to enable decentralized applications at scale in gaming, culture and entertainment.

The largest investor in the round was Andreessen Horowitz’s crypto fund, with participation from new investors Accomplice, Taiwan’s AppWorks, Autonomous Partners, and Warner Music Group, as well as existing investors Union Square Ventures, Venrock, Digital Currency Group, Animoca Brands, SV Angel, Version One, and CoinFund, among others. Angel investors who participated in this round included Don Mattrick, William Mougayar, James and Glenn Hutchins, Don Mattrick, and Nanon de Gaspe Beaubien-Mattrick.

“For consumers to embrace crypto, we need to stop approaching it as an emerging technology and instead give people products they can use every day,” said Roham Gharegozlou, CEO of Dapper Labs. “After two years of research, we’re excited to unveil Flow, a new blockchain built to support entire ecosystems of apps and games without compromising the values of decentralization. Bitcoin and Ethereum show how crypto can make the world of finance more open and transparent; Flow will do the same for consumers of entertainment and culture.”

With this investment round, Dapper Labs joins forces with the largest accelerator in Asia to introduce important global blockchain technology to the region and engage in AppWorks’ extensive developer community in Southeast Asia and Taiwan. 

Flow is a global network designed to meet the needs of DApp’s massive expansion, so Asia’s market potential cannot be ignored, says Dapper Labs CEO Roham Gharegozlou. 

“Asia has many of the world’s leading consumer technology and game developers, and we want to ensure that Flow meets their needs. Choosing to work with AppWorks not only complies with our long-term vision, it also helps us participate in the huge startup and partner community that is part of Asia’s largest startup accelerator.”

Jessica Liu, the partner at AppWorks who led the team’s investment, pointed out that entertainment and gaming has nearly always brought early adopters to new technologies.  The same principle applies to the current development of blockchain. Asia, she says, is the perfect market for a solid team like Dapper Labs to lead this transformation.  

She says, “We believe that with their methodical approach to blockchain gaming and entertainment development, Dapper Labs will be the best team to push forward new applications for gaming and entertainment on blockchain. They have the best shot at being able to utilize decentralisation in this environment to lower the costs of generating scale and user acquisition in Southeast Asia and Taiwan.”  

Some of the types of experiences Flow will support include: artists or bands using crypto tokens to give music lovers unprecedented new ways to show their fandom; games that reward players for adding value and enable interoperability with assets and identities that users can take across environments; or platforms for sports fans around the world to trade verified, authentic, limited-edition digital memorabilia in real-time. The company will begin its first partnerships with Ubisoft and Warner Music. 

“Warner Music is always searching for new opportunities for our artists and has dedicated itself to exploring emerging technologies to enable these,” said Jeff Bronikowski, SVP, Global Digital Business Development and Head of Innovation and Emerging Technology at Warner Music Group. “When we met with Dapper Labs, they immediately understood our vision so we sought to solidify the partnership through this strategic investment. We are thrilled to be part of their next phase of innovation, and look forward to working alongside them to help identify and capitalize on ground-breaking technologies on our artists’ behalf.”

In addition to the new investment, Dapper Labs is announcing partnerships with leading entertainment publishers to ensure Flow is ready for enterprise-scale use-cases. Ubisoft, well known for developing games like Far Cry, Just Dance and Assassin’s Creed, is advising on Flow, providing valuable industry feedback.

Flow was designed by Dieter Shirley, CTO of Dapper Labs and the technical mind behind CryptoKitties and Ethereum’s ERC-721 standard for non-fungible tokens (NFTs). “The architecture for Flow was inspired by modern CPUs.” Shirley said. “Flow pipelines the work of running a blockchain across four different node types, instead of following the typical approach of requiring all nodes, or ‘miners’, to do everything. This lets us maintain the decentralization needed to make the network trustworthy while achieving the kind of scale needed to serve billions of users.”

“An internet governed by open, trustworthy services has only recently become possible, thanks to advances in blockchain and cryptocurrencies.” said Chris Dixon, General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz. “With Flow, the Dapper Labs team has developed a solution to the problem of scalability without losing decentralization or sharding the network. This means a better environment for application developers and ultimately more network effects that benefit consumers.”

Flow will launch in 2020, in time to support many of the company’s large-scale, consumer-facing entertainment, music, and gaming projects in the works. For more information about Flow, please visit www.buildwithflow.com.

About Dapper Labs

Formed in February 2018, Dapper Labs mission is to make the world more open and trustworthy by introducing consumers to the value of blockchain technology through fun and games. Dapper Labs is the team behind CryptoKitties, one of the first and most successful blockchain applications outside of cryptocurrency, and Dapper, the world’s first publicly available smart wallet. Upcoming Dapper Labs projects include Cheeze Wizards, the world’s first blockchain-based battle royale, NBA Top Shot, a platform created in partnership with the NBA and NBPA, and Flow, a consumer-based blockchain for decentralized applications. With over $40M in financing, notable investors in Dapper Labs include Andreessen Horowitz, Union Square Ventures, Venrock, GV (formerly known as Google Ventures), and the founders of Dreamworks, Reddit, Coinbase, Zynga, and AngelList, among others. For more information on Dapper Labs, visit www.dapperlabs.com.