Co-founders of Take Eat Easy & Djump go into Internet-connected electric bike market

Co-founders of Take Eat Easy & Djump go into Internet-connected electric bike market
Credit: Belga

Cowboy, a new Belgian start-up, started in the Internet-connected electric bike market on Thursday.

The young entrepreneurs who run it are the co-founders of the former company specializing in shared journeys, Djump, and the previous meal delivery name Take Eat Easy.

Their ambition is to grow the popularity in Belgium of “a top-of-the-range Internet-connected urban electric bicycle, at the lowest possible price.” The bicycle is now available for sale on their Internet site for the price of €1,790, “at a time when a quality bike now costs between €3,000 and €5,000.”

Adrien Roose and Karim Slaoui, both co-founders of Take Eat Easy (which has since ceased trading), and Tanguy Goretti, the founder of Djump (an Uber competitor, which ceased providing services in June 2015, editor’s note), created their new start-up in January 2017. The company is currently raising €2.4 million to support the bicycle’s national operational launch.

To enable sizeable unique brand recognition, Cowboy has developed its own mobile application, so as to genuinely connect the bike to the user. The application enables the user to switch on and turn off bike lights on the model securely, and to have a “dashboard” with, in particular, details of both the speed and distance travelled. Eventually, a navigation system will be integrated, as well as GPS tracking for the bicycle.

The bike itself adapts intuitively to the style and speed with which its user pedals, by increasing speed when he starts to pedal, if he accelerates or is in an uphill section. The battery which is integrated behind the seat tube, can be easily removed. It offers a maximum range of 50 kilometres and can be recharged in two and a half hours. The battery weighs 1.7 kilograms, in addition to the 14.4-kilogram frame, which makes it one of the lightest electric bicycles on the market.

To make its brand known, Cowboy is counting upon word of mouth. However it is also depending upon receiving awards to increase its reputation. The young company thus scooped first prize at the Eurobike Show, the largest bicycle show in Europe. This came before receiving a second award last month. The ambitions of the start-up are fairly high. It is hoping to be able to break into the bike market in neighbouring countries.

The Brussels Times


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