WeMo Raises Series A+ Round to Accelerate Southeast Asia Expansion, Led by AppWorks

WeMo CEO – Davidd Liu 劉于遜 (Left), WeMo Co-Founder & Vice Chairman – Jeffrey Wu 吳昕霈 (Right)

Editor’s note: We’re thrilled to back WeMo Scooter, a pioneer in urban mobility technologies. With its proven track record in smart transportation and fleet management, WeMo is working with partners in Southeast Asia and around the world to realize net zero carbon emission transportation. The press release from WeMo is below:

(漢文在下) WeMo Corp, a pioneer in urban mobility technologies, announced the completion of a Series A+ round led by AppWorks, with participation from Taiwan National Development Fund.

With its mission to reduce dependency on privately-owned vehicles and decrease carbon emissions, WeMo has amassed a user base of over a million members in its seven years of smart vehicle operations, and has gained a dominant position in the Taiwan market. The company has made dramatic adjustments throughout the pandemic to meet ever-changing consumer needs, and positioning itself for long-term growth, including investments in product and technology that are intended to help governments, businesses, and communities embrace more sustainable ways of transportation and living.

In 2022, WeMo launched a number of new products and services based on emerging consumer demand following Taiwan’s reopening, including: WeMo RenTour, which offers app-based rentals for electric cars, scooters, and bicycles; and WeMo PASS, offering free and discounted rides of electric scooters and other benefits on a subscription basis. Revenue has returned to pre-pandemic levels, recording double-digit growth. The company anticipates accelerated growth over the next few years, building off increasing demand for shared transportation, electrification, fleet management, and resumption of normal economic activity.

In addition to its convenient roadside rent-and-return services, WeMo offers a comprehensive Mobility-as-a-Service platform with a focus on fleet and operations management under one integrated system, which intimately aligns with global market urbanization demand and greenification trends. With WeMo’s modular, efficient, and all-in-one tool “Smart Mobility Center,” fleet operators are able to gain access to historical and real-time data, accurate forecasting, and analytics to improve fleet management. Data and module specifications can be customized to each operator’s region, vehicle type or other needs to help achieve sustainability goals and seamlessly manage vehicle fleets.

“As a pioneer of shared e-mobility in Taiwan, WeMo has gained significant momentum in the island country known to have the highest motorcycle per capita. Over the past seven years, we accumulated valuable experiences in product development, user experience design, and AI / IoT technologies. As WeMo emerges from the pandemic in a position of strength, we are excited to expand our footprint to Southeast Asia where we can help governments and businesses achieve greener transportation and effectively manage their electric fleets,” said Davidd Liu, CEO of WeMo.

With this round of financing, WeMo plans to expand its service to Southeast Asia, with an emphasis on Indonesia and Thailand. In anticipation of rapidly growing demand for electric vehicles and alternative transportation solutions, the company is building partnerships with governments, investors, businesses, and transportation providers throughout Southeast Asia to offer green transportation and fleet management services to support the region’s transition to zero emission.

“In recent years, accelerating impact of climate change and severe weather has created greater impetus to transition to net zero economic and societal models. Throughout the pandemic, the WeMo team has demonstrated amazing resilience and execution through operations excellence, product innovation and a focus on seamless consumer experiences, leading to a sound financial performance that will allow them to expedite expansion and contribute to Taiwan and the Greater Southeast Asia region’s pursuit of zero carbon societies. As an early believer in WeMo, AppWorks has great confidence in this team’s future under the leadership of Jeffrey and Davidd,” said Jamie Lin, Chairman, AppWorks.

“Sustainable green energy development is the predominant global trend for energy and transportation, and is the core spirit of WeMo from inception. Building off the continuous and steady growth of WeMo, we will leverage our proven expertise in electric and shared vehicles to offer sustainable solutions for smart transportation throughout the Greater Southeast Asia region,” said Jeffrey Wu, Founder and Vice Chairman, WeMo.

About WeMo

WeMo Corp is an urban mobility solutions provider developing technology and services with the goal of decreasing dependency on privately-owned vehicles, reducing pollution, and improving urban life for all. WeMo empowers urban residents to enjoy zero carbon transportation on their own terms, including mobile-based rentals for automobiles, scooters, and bicycles. Understanding the importance of mass adoption of green technologies, WeMo’s fleet technology offerings help businesses manage their electric vehicle fleets in real time. As of 2022, WeMo has contributed to positive growth and resolving issues through reducing CO2 emissions by 3.5 million kg.

For more information, please visit http://www.wemoscooter.com

[If you are a founder working on a startup in SEA, or working with web3 / DAO and AI / IoT, apply to AppWorks Accelerator to join the largest founder community in Greater Southeast Asia.]

WeMo Scooter 疫情後穩健成長,AppWorks 2023 年開春加碼增資助攻開啟國際拓展

2020 年初疫情趨峻以來全球經濟市場受到衝擊,亞洲智慧共享運具先驅 WeMo Scooter 憑藉高度彈性應變能力並掌握即時數據,迅速針對消費者需求調整產品與盈利模式,在後疫情時代擴張用戶族群及數量、營收反彈成長,持續穩健發展。此外,WeMo Smart Mobility 團隊擁有三大優勢與核心智慧車聯網技術,既有投資人 AppWorks 看好其團隊具備跨域、跨運具營運能量,可望進軍商機龐大的東南亞智慧運輸市場,於 2023 年開春完成加碼增資數百萬美元助攻,以此展開拓展東南亞市場的初期工作,並啟動更多國際合作並募集海外資源挹注。

後疫情時代市場詭譎多變,WeMo Scooter 在短期內針對消費者需求調整產品與消費模式,2022 年底用戶數成長驚人,其活躍使用率更是提升逾 10%,不管是新舊用戶黏著度正不斷地升高,顯示疫情後大眾的移動習慣已產生改變。此外,因應消費者及企業端跨域、跨運具需求,WeMo Smart Mobility 團隊在 2022 年第三季推出子品牌 WeMo RenTour,是台灣首個結合手機 App 租賃,整合橫跨汽車、機車及電動自行車等多元運具與不同租賃品牌的服務。並且,團隊觀察到市場對共享運具的需求與使用習慣改變,於 2022 年第四季推出全台首創共享機車訂閱制 WeMo PASS,消費者不再受限過往訂閱的趟次與時數限制所綑綁,訂閱數在首月即獲得佳績,超越預估並翻倍成長。WeMo Scooter 在 2022 年整體營收相較去年以雙位數百分比成長,並回到疫情前水準,可望在未來三至五年再以倍數成長躍進。

WeMo Smart Mobility 團隊三大優勢及核心技術對齊市場剛需及趨勢,既有投資人 AppWorks 看準團隊應變效率與跨域、跨運具適性,加碼增資助攻海外:

  1. 後疫情時代大環境受到衝擊,WeMo Scooter 在一片紅海中非但不以變相削價方式競爭,更打破市場傳統框架推出 WeMo PASS,用戶黏著度創新高,營運含金量再提升。 「智慧城市調度」管理也高度提升資源有效利用,不但滿足用戶需求,更符合 WeMo Scooter 一直秉持的綠色永續發展精神。
  2. WeMo 為智慧運輸車聯網公司,主力產品 WeMo Scooter 在台灣三大城市經營 7 年以來,已打下深厚基礎,擁有豐富第一線營運及服務經驗,並具備完整「數據累積和即時運用」能力,成功應用在跨域及跨運具營運平台及整合租賃業者資源,有足夠成熟能量向海外擴展。
  3. WeMo核心能力不單是提供路邊隨租隨還的便利服務,其完備的車聯網技術與車隊整合系統精準對齊全球市場剛需及趨勢,並在每個開發階段所累積的數據與模組規格能夠彈性應用,達到車聯網服務最大化效能,不再侷限地域及運具,達到環境永續目標。

在經歷三年疫情的衝擊後,產業界開始面對 2023 年全新的政經局勢。國際貨幣基金 (IMF) 預期 2023 年全球將面臨嚴峻挑戰,美國、歐洲及中國三大經濟體將持續呈現衰退,將導致至少 1/3 其他國家陷入景氣衰退。

AppWorks 董事長暨合夥人林之晨指出:「近幾年大家都感受到氣候變遷與劇烈氣象,對生活帶來的衝擊,認知到實現淨零碳排的必要,其中,加速共享、綠色運輸的發展,至為關鍵。因此,AppWorks 長期支持 WeMo Smart Mobility,期望加速其在台拓展與區域化的腳步。過去三年,在疫情反覆衝擊的營運環境下,WeMo 經營團隊展現出驚人的韌性與執行力,不僅在產品與服務上能持續創新,提供用戶更多選擇、更好體驗,在 WeMo PASS 助攻下,財務表現更是屢創新高。AppWorks 相信,進入後疫情階段,經過淬鍊的 WeMo 團隊,結合自身的經驗與優勢,必定能在大東南亞舞台寫下美好的新篇章。」

WeMo 執行長劉于遜表示:「身為台灣綠色共享運具先驅,過去 7 年以來在台灣本土深耕獲得許多寶貴經驗,也累積成熟能量發展各種盈利模式,並隨時保持敏捷滾動式調整策略與腳步,在最壞也是最好的時代從台灣出發,期盼能在海外市場取得更多國際合作與資源挹注。」

全球及亞太智慧運輸市場需求激增,依據 kbvresearch 調查,全球智慧運輸市場正以 8.7% 複合成長率擴張,將在 2023 年達 571.95 億美元的市場規模。越南、菲律賓、泰國、新加坡、印尼、印度等亞太多國皆有重大交通建設工程。WeMo 副董事長暨創辦人吳昕霈強調:「綠能永續發展亦是全球焦點趨勢,也是 WeMo 營運發展核心之一,WeMo 在持續穩健成長之下,將挾三大優勢跨海強攻,並在 AppWorks 加碼增資助攻之下,目標在數位經濟時代以跨國界、跨運具之強大策略武器打開所有可能,建立亞太智慧運輸永續生態圈。」

【歡迎 Web3 / DAO、AI / IoT 以及目標 Southeast Asia 市場的創業者,加入 AppWorks Accelerator