Skip (transportation company)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Scooter-sharing |
| Founded | 2017 |
| Founder | Matt Tran, Mike Wadhera, Sanjay Dastoor |
| Defunct | 2021 |
| Fate | Acquired by Helbiz in 2020; filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2021 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco , United States |
Area served | Multiple cities in the United States including Washington, D.C., San Francisco, San Diego, Austin |
| Products | Electric scooters, scooter-sharing service |
Skip (established in 2017) was a company headquartered in San Francisco that provided a scooter-sharing service across multiple cities in the United States. The company was founded by Matt Tran, Mike Wadhera, and Sanjay Dastoor as part of Y Combinator's winter 2018 cohort. Skip set itself apart by manufacturing more durable scooters equipped with larger batteries, offering educational sessions, and working closely with municipalities before launching services. In 2020, Helbiz acquired the company, which later filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in August 2021.
History
Originally launched as Waybots in late 2017 by the creators of Boosted Board, Skip aimed to offer a high-quality alternative within the scooter-sharing sector.
In May 2018, the startup raised $6 million in seed capital, followed by a $25 million Series A funding round in June 2018.
The acquisition by rival Helbiz occurred in December 2020, contributing to further consolidation within the electric scooter industry. In 2021, Skip ceased its operations after filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
Areas served
Waybots initiated its first city deployment in Washington, D.C. during February 2018 through a pilot initiative.
By August 2018, both San Francisco and Scoot received authorization to operate dockless scooters. However, Skip halted its rental services in San Francisco’s Powered Scooter Share Program in October 2019 due to concerns over battery fire hazards and has since pursued an appeal to recommence service.
From June through July 2019, Skip broadened its presence by entering key dockless scooter markets such as San Diego, CA and Austin, TX.