Cykleo, a major player in cycling services in France, today announced the acquisition of Ecovelo, a designer of innovative bike-sharing solutions. This transaction marks a new step in Cykleo’s development strategy. It aims to strengthen its technological expertise, broaden its range of services and provide ever more effective support to local authorities as sustainable mobility continues to grow.
Cykleo, Keolis Group’s cycling subsidiary, accelerates its growth with the acquisition of Ecovelo
A natural fit to serve mobility across all communities
Since its establishment in 2007, Cykleo has designed, deployed and operated a full range of cycling solutions for local authorities: bike-share schemes, long-term bike rental and bike parking. With nearly 35,000 bikes deployed and more than 200 employees across France, the company supports the transformation of everyday mobility.
The acquisition of Ecovelo, which has been designing cycling solutions since 2018, enriches Cykleo’s offering with a proven e-bike-share technology already deployed in some 35 local communities. Ecovelo’s solutions stand out for their flexibility, ease of implementation and ability to meet the needs of local authorities of all sizes.
Strengthening innovation for the benefit of users
This transaction brings together two complementary areas of expertise: on the one hand, a leading operator capable of designing high-performance cycling services at scale; on the other, a technology innovator recognised for the quality and flexibility of its bike-sharing systems. Together, they will offer local authorities ever more effective and robust solutions tailored to the challenges of sustainable mobility.
By joining Cykleo, Ecovelo will benefit from greater capacity to deploy nationwide while continuing to develop its technologies to enhance the user experience and intermodality.
In practice, this new development will mean that every community, from large cities to mid-sized towns, will be able to choose a solution that suits its needs. Every resident will be able to find the right bike, wherever they live and however they travel. This is a conviction shared by both businesses: cycling has its place in the mobility of every community, and every community deserves a service tailored to its reality.
Over the past five years, Ecovelo has established itself as a solid market player and enjoyed sustained growth driven by innovative technologies: motorised locks, smart electric chains and electric charging stations. More recently, the company launched its new electric longtail bike as part of a bike share scheme. This product perfectly illustrates what this tie-up brings to Cykleo: an innovation designed around real-world use, which will join its range and, in the future, benefit local authorities of all sizes and their residents.
Building tomorrow’s leader in cycling mobility
Against a backdrop of strong growth in cycling and increasingly supportive public policies for active mobility, this transaction strengthens Cykleo’s growth strategy and aims to provide an integrated offering covering all the needs of local authorities, large and small:
bike share schemes;
long-term bike rental;
secure bike parking;
operations and maintenance services;
innovative technology platforms and management systems.
This transaction positions Cykleo as the leader in cycling services in France, capable of fulfilling all the cycling needs of local authorities of every size, and already operating on behalf of nearly 50 local authorities across France. By combining their expertise, Cykleo and Ecovelo intend to play an active role in accelerating the use of cycling throughout France and in building more sustainable, attractive and quieter living environments.
“For nearly twenty years, Cykleo has been supporting major metropolitan areas in the development of cycling. With the acquisition of Ecovelo, we’re shifting into high gear! Thanks to the quality of its solutions, its spirit of innovation, and its on-the-ground expertise, we can now serve every region, from metropolitan areas to mid-sized cities, with a comprehensive bike-sharing service. Our goal: to make cycling an essential pillar of everyday mobility.”
Camille-Léa PASSERIN, CEO of Cykloe and Chairwoman of Ecovelo.
“I am delighted to be joining Cykleo and am very proud of the commercial successes and innovations achieved with the Ecovelo teams over the past five years for the benefit of local authorities. We look forward to contributing to Cykleo’s success and combining our expertise to develop cycling services that are ever better suited to local communities and their residents,”
Matthieu SAUDUBRAY, CEO of Ecovelo.
“Cycling is an essential link in everyday mobility and intermodality. With this acquisition, Keolis Group is giving itself the means to offer local authorities comprehensive solutions, from the public transport network right through to the last mile,”
Clément MICHEL, Managing Director for France and the Regions, and Acting Director of Marketing, Innovation, and CSR Keolis Group.