Helbiz
| Industry | Dockless electric scooter sharing, dockless bike sharing, Car sharing |
|---|---|
| Founders | Salvatore Palella |
| Headquarters | New York, New York, United States |
Area served | Europe, North America |
Key people | Salvatore Palella (CEO), Jonathan Hannestad (COO), Nemanja Stancic (CTO) |
| Website |
Helbiz, Inc. is a transportation firm with Italian-American roots, headquartered in New York City. It specializes in addressing the first and last mile transit issues in densely populated urban centers around the globe.
Established on 16 October 2015 by Italian entrepreneur Salvatore Palella, Helbiz pioneered the introduction of shared electric scooters in Italy in October 2018, following the country's regulatory approval and legalization of such vehicles.
Operations
Functioning as a platform connecting users through its mobile application, Helbiz manages and retrieves its fleet of vehicles on a daily basis. The firm has positioned itself as a frontrunner in the mobility industry, attracting significant interest from investors worldwide.
IPO and news
Helbiz revealed intentions to pursue a dual-listing initial public offering on both the NASDAQ and the Borsa Italiana AIM Italia market.
In August 2019, the company secured approximately $7.13 million through its initial funding round, with TriPoint Global Equities, LLC acting as the placement agent.
By October 2019, Forever Sharing—a Chinese subsidiary of Zhonglu Group and manufacturer of electric smart mobility devices—acquired a 5% stake in Helbiz for $8 million, valuing the enterprise at $160 million. This collaboration included a contract to supply 20,000 electric bikes and scooters for global deployment scheduled by early 2020. However, the planned IPO did not materialize during 2019 or 2020.
A class action lawsuit was initiated against Helbiz and its executives in June 2020 concerning the sale of "HelbizCoin" cryptocurrency via an ICO, accusing them of orchestrating a "pump and dump" scheme.
In January 2021, judicial authorities classified HelbizCoin as an investment security within a common enterprise but dismissed the case due to jurisdictional issues.
February 2021 saw Helbiz announce a merger with GreenVision Acquisition Corp. (Nasdaq: GRNV), which was finalized in August 2021. The merged entity is publicly traded on Nasdaq under the ticker "HLBZ," retaining CEO Salvatore Palella and existing leadership. At the time of listing, the company’s valuation stood at $308 million.
Later, in October 2021, the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated the lawsuit alleging investor fraud related to HelbizCoin.
Partnerships and events
In January 2019, Helbiz entered into a joint venture with Telepass, allowing customers to rent and pay for HELBIZ e-scooters seamlessly through the Telepass Pay app, which also facilitates payments for parking, fuel, and other mobility-related expenses.
The following month, February 2019, saw Helbiz collaborate with Matchless to present an electric scooter runway show aimed at promoting environmentally friendly products. In March, Helbiz integrated its e-scooters into the Moovit app to enhance public transit connectivity.
During July 2019 at the New York City E-Prix event held in Brooklyn, Helbiz offered residents an opportunity to ride its electric scooters on the race track as part of the “New Yorkers on Track” initiative.
Helbiz also partnered with Ehang UAV to create an aerial ridesharing service using two-passenger drones, launching a pilot drone taxi program alongside Antigua and Barbuda’s governor in the Caribbean region.
September 2019 marked the debut of Helbiz’s "Greta" e-bike—named after activist Greta Thunberg—equipped with a 250 W motor, a 14 AH battery providing up to an 80 km range, GPS tracking capabilities, and mobile app unlocking features. This model was unveiled at Milan Fashion Week’s "Green Carpet" event.
In response to post-pandemic mobility needs, May 2020 saw Helbiz introduce Helbiz Unlimited, a subscription plan granting unlimited 30-minute rides on e-bikes and e-scooters. This initiative was launched in cooperation with Italy’s government COVID-19 Task Force.
In December 2020, Helbiz acquired Skip, recognized as the first authorized shared scooter operator in the U.S.; however, Skip filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and began liquidation proceedings by August 2021.
Helbiz served as an official corporate sponsor for President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’s inauguration in January 2021. Shortly thereafter, in February 2021, it announced its merger with GreenVision Acquisition Corp., becoming the inaugural micro-mobility company listed on NASDAQ.
June 2021 brought several strategic alliances: Helbiz collaborated with Vox to launch an "experiential tourism" concept that combines cultural exploration with sustainable transport options like electric scooters and bikes across Rome. Additionally, it partnered with Alipay to offer secure mobility services catering to tourists during the European Championships.
Moreover, Helbiz extended its exclusive jersey sponsorship deal with Miami FC. Through Helbiz Media, it secured over-the-top (OTT) broadcasting rights for Italy’s Serie B Championship covering three seasons (2021–2024) and was designated as the sole global partner responsible for distribution and marketing of Serie B media rights.