Blog article
5/3/2025

Future Innovators: Hoop Carpool revolutionizes everyday mobility with carpooling for companies and universities

The leading carpooling company in Spain for companies and universities, Hoop Carpool, has been selected by PATIO Campus in the Circular Economy program, taking sustainable mobility to a new level. Its innovative application allows employees and students to share cars on their daily trips, optimizing expenses and reducing the carbon footprint, while making each trip an opportunity to connect with others. With a model that promotes efficiency and community, Hoop Carpool redefines the way we travel, demonstrating that sharing the road can be more than just an option: it's a new way of experiencing mobility.

About the startup

· What is Hoop Carpool and how would you describe it in a short and powerful sentence?

Hoop Carpool is a sustainable mobility platform that connects people to share cars on daily trips, reducing costs and CO2 emissions.

· What specific problem does it solve and why is it important?

The main problem we solve is the daily commute to the headquarters of organizations, either to work or to study. We solve the problems of parking, pollution, traffic, time spent on other trips, we reduce the money invested in travel... It is something that is profoundly affecting the environment and the mental health of employees/students.

· What makes Hoop Carpool different from other existing solutions on the market?

Hoop Carpool has decided to make its contribution to society in a different way. While other actors focus exclusively on a B2C car-sharing system, we decided to take on a more B2B approach, without neglecting B2C, to deal with a real problem for companies and universities: travel to the headquarters of organizations.

It is true that this is a niche market, but that is where we discover that we have the greatest impact: parking problems, pollution, traffic, time spent on other types of travel... It is something that is profoundly affecting the environment and the mental health of employees/students.

To make it different, we focus completely on the customer, unlike other applications. We care about our current customers from the first moment they launch in person, offering them full support and attracting them with incentives and gamification features.

In addition, our greatest achievement is our matchmaking algorithm, capable of taking into account a large number of trips and offering the best matches according to the user's travel preferences.

Finally, we are the only technology in Spain verified by MITECO to generate Energy Saving Certificates with emissions that are reduced thanks to carpooling.

· How did you validate the idea before launching it?

We validated our idea through a comprehensive approach that combined different methods. We carry out surveys to understand the needs and expectations of the target audience, we carry out pilot tests in collaboration with universities and companies to evaluate their viability in real environments and we analyze in detail the behavior of users in shared mobility. These steps allowed us to collect key data, adjust our proposal, and ensure that our solution responded to real demand before its launch.

· What is the biggest current challenge you face as a company?

Our biggest challenge today is to transform mobility habits and promote the adoption of carpooling as a common option. This involves not only building trust in users, but also raising awareness of their economic and sustainable benefits.

· What long-term vision do you have for the startup? How do you imagine Hoop Carpool in 5 years?

Our long-term vision is to become the reference platform for carpooling in Europe and globally. We aim to integrate new mobility solutions, collaborate closely with cities and companies, and contribute to more efficient and sustainable transport. As Paloma Martín, CEO and co-founder of Hoop Carpool, always says, we want car sharing to be as normal as taking a bus or ordering a taxi! To achieve this, we will continue to innovate, improve the user experience and promote a cultural change in the way we move.

The origin

· How and when did the idea come about? What led you to undertake: was it out of a personal or professional need?

The motivation to undertake was born out of a real need experienced by the four founders firsthand. Two of the founding partners resided on the outskirts of Madrid and faced daily difficulties getting to university due to traffic and the lack of efficient transport alternatives. The other two partners, after having lived in countries with high levels of pollution, saw how poor air quality forced people to wear masks on the street.

This led us to ask ourselves a key question: why not take advantage of empty car seats? With this idea in mind, we created a solution that not only reduces polluting emissions, but also facilitates mobility and democratizes the use of private vehicles.

· What anecdotes do you remember about the initial creation process?

In the first tests, we involved friends and family, which allowed us to observe live how our idea came to life. There were very fun moments, such as people with similar profiles who had not previously met and, thanks to Hoop, they ended up forging friendships. There were even those who discovered that they lived nearby or shared daily routes without having known it before. These experiences confirmed the platform's potential not only to optimize mobility, but also to connect people and create community.

· Why did you choose that name for the startup? Does it have any special meaning?

'Hoop' represents connection and circularity, two essential values in our vision of shared mobility. We want to create a network of interconnected people who optimize the use of vehicles and contribute to more efficient and sustainable mobility. On the other hand, 'Carpool' comes from 'carpooling', which is the act of sharing a car with other people to reduce costs, traffic and emissions. Together, 'Hoop Carpool' reflects our commitment to more collaborative and accessible transportation for all.

About PATIO Campus

· How important has PATIO Campus or other ecosystems been in your development?

It's providing us with key connections, high-value mentoring, and the opportunity to generate synergies with other startups. Thanks to this ecosystem, we are accelerating our learning and it is helping us to strengthen our proposal.

· What do you value most about being surrounded by other entrepreneurs in a space like PATIO Campus?

Collaborative energy and the constant exchange of ideas drive us to innovate and overcome challenges together. Being surrounded by people who face similar challenges creates an environment of support and mutual growth that is key on the path of entrepreneurship.

· What advice would you give to someone who is thinking of joining PATIO Campus?

Take every opportunity to learn, collaborate and share experiences. Don't be afraid to connect with other entrepreneurs, because networking and synergies can open doors you didn't imagine. The more you get involved, the more value you'll get.

Future and closure

· What type of support, collaboration or investment are you looking for right now?

We are currently looking for strategic alliances with companies and public administrations that share our vision of more efficient and sustainable mobility. In addition, we are opening an investment round to continue expanding our platform and reaching more people, optimizing our technology and expanding our community.

· Any curious or fun facts about your startup?

Our community has generated unexpected connections: many users have found travel companions with whom they have forged friendships or even ended up working together. In addition, although we are a small team, we have more than 10 nationalities, which gives us a diverse and international vision of mobility.

· Finally, where can you find more information about Hoop Carpool (web, social networks, etc.)?
Our website is www.hoopcarpool.com and we are on social networks such as @HoopCarpool on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and LinkedIn.

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