Future Innovators: Meep, the safe, sustainable and user-centered digital mobility ecosystem

Selected by PATIO Campus in its Circular Economy program, Meep is a clear example of how technology and sustainability can go hand in hand to improve the lives of citizens. Find out more in this interview that delves into their vision and the impact that their digital mobility ecosystem has on the cities of the future.

About the startup

• What does Meep consist of and how would you describe it in a short and powerful sentence? Meep is a digital mobility ecosystem that gives people the freedom to move around cities safely and sustainably, putting the user at the center of the transportation system.
• What specific problem does it solve and why is it important? Mobility has become one of the main challenges of the 21st century. Urban transport can be inefficient, congested and, above all, disconnected. This lack of integration means that transport is not ready to meet the needs of the urban population. At Meep, we want to put citizens at the center by bringing together public and private transport actors to work for a more inclusive, sustainable and accessible mobility ecosystem.
• What makes Meep different from other existing solutions on the market? We differentiate ourselves mainly by offering a customized solution in the form of a white label app (B2B2C), which adapts to the local needs of each customer and can be deployed in an agile, fast and scalable way. Unlike other companies that offer generic solutions, we believe in the importance of adapting to each specific context. In addition, we have more than 150 integrations with different transport operators and an approach focused on the end user.
• How did you validate the idea before launching it? We follow a very structured validation process. First, we spent many months doing market research and, above all, having conversations with different actors in the transport sector: from operators to transport authorities. We wanted to really understand the pains and needs of the sector from every possible angle. With this information, we launched a first version of the app in Malaga focused directly on the end user (B2C). It was an intensive learning phase where we were able to iterate quickly thanks to direct feedback from users. This experience was crucial because it allowed us to understand that the real potential lay in B2B - in helping operators and cities to create their own mobility ecosystems. From that strategic pivot, we began to win both public and private contracts to develop customized MaaS solutions.
• What is the biggest current challenge you face as a company? We are currently faced with several important strategic challenges. On the one hand, we want to accelerate the sale of MaaS platforms, which is our core business and where we have a very consolidated process. But at the same time, we are introducing new business models that require us to adapt our way of selling and relating to customers. It's not easy to innovate while maintaining efficiency in what already works. In addition, we are in full international expansion, opening up new markets that have their own peculiarities and challenges. Each new market requires a good understanding of the local ecosystem and adapting our value proposition, always maintaining the quality and scalability of our solution.
• What long-term vision do you have for the startup? How do you imagine Meep in 5 years? Our vision is to become the de facto standard for connected mobility in medium-sized cities globally. We want that when a city or a transport operator thinks about digitalizing and connecting their mobility, they think of Meep as the most reliable and complete solution. In 5 years, I see Meep expanded to many more cities and with a much more diversified customer base. One of our main focuses will be corporate mobility, where we are already seeing great growth potential and where we expect to have several consolidated projects. But perhaps the most exciting thing is that we will be able to take advantage of all the knowledge and data that we have been accumulating over more than 7 years of operation. This database is a treasure trove that will allow us to offer ever more intelligent and personalized solutions. Not only will we be facilitating mobility, but we will be able to predict and optimize transport flows in a way that we can barely imagine today. All this while maintaining our main objective: to improve the quality of life of citizens through more efficient and sustainable mobility.

‍The origin‍

• How and when did the idea come about? What led you to undertake: was it out of a personal or professional need? During my countless trips as an export manager, I realized how my experience and relationship with each city changed tremendously depending on how well their transportation system worked. Cities with disconnected and depersonalized transportation systems create a barrier between the city and its visitors or citizens, generating enormous frustration. On the other hand, cities where the transport ecosystem is accessible and where the citizen is at the center, are remembered as much more pleasant. This urgent need for interconnected and accessible transport systems, together with a concern for sustainability and the environment, are the fundamental pillars behind Meep.

• What anecdotes do you remember about the initial creation process? All the beginnings are tough, but I especially remember the initial tests with our route planner. We had just gotten dizzy from so many trips by bus, taxi, walking... and some of the recommended routes were real odysseys. These experiences helped us to significantly improve our algorithm and better understand the real needs of users.
• Why did you choose that name for the startup? Does it have any special meaning? The truth is that finding the perfect name for a startup is quite a challenge. You need something that's memorable, that's available in the records (which isn't easy at all!) , and that somehow connects with what you do. In our case, after thinking about it a lot and considering different options, one day the sound of the Roadrunner from cartoons came to mind: “meep meep!”. And it was like a revelation: short, catchy, easy to remember and, in addition, related to movement and speed. It was perfect!

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About PATIO Campus

• How important has PATIO Campus or other ecosystems been in your development? Although our experience at PATIO Campus is just beginning, we are already very excited about the projects that can emerge from this ecosystem. The truth is that throughout our history we have seen the value of these spaces of collaboration and open innovation for the development of startups. These ecosystems are essential because they facilitate collaborations between companies and accelerate innovation. In our case, for example, participation in different innovation hubs and spaces has allowed us to grow and evolve more quickly and efficiently.
• What do you value most about being surrounded by other entrepreneurs in a space like PATIO Campus? What is most valuable to me is being able to share experiences with other entrepreneurs who are facing challenges similar to ours. It's amazing what you can learn simply by listening to the anecdotes and experiences of other founders. It helps you to anticipate situations and make better decisions, because you learn both from your successes and from your mistakes.
• What advice would you give to someone who is thinking of joining PATIO Campus? My advice would be clear: let it be launched and tested. Startups need to move, participate in initiatives like this to progress. It's very difficult to grow in isolation. In the end, the simple fact of being in such an environment already multiplies the chances of interesting opportunities emerging. As I always say, something good is more likely to come out if you move and participate than if you sit still waiting for things to happen.

Future and next steps‍

• What type of support, collaboration or investment are you looking for right now? We are currently in a very interesting phase of growth where we are mainly looking for two things: on the one hand, new customers interested in implementing MaaS and corporate mobility solutions; and on the other, establishing connections with other entrepreneurs and companies for possible collaborations. Our philosophy is to always be open to innovation, so we are interested in all kinds of collaborations that can bring value to our mobility ecosystem. Networking is essential in our industry, as often the best opportunities come from unexpected conversations.
• Any curious or fun facts about your startup? There is something that seems very curious to me when I look back: when we started in 2017, the MaaS sector was full of competitors and most of them were Nordic companies, which were the pioneers in this concept. However, over the years, many of these competitors have been disappearing or pivoting to other models, while we have not only survived, but we have become a reference in Europe. It is a kind of unexpected turn that MaaS, being a concept that was born in Northern Europe, has ended up having such success and development in the Latin part of Europe. I think this shows that sometimes the best ideas need to adapt to different cultural contexts to succeed, and we have been able to do just that.
• Finally, where can you find more information about Meep (web, social networks, etc.)? You can find us on our website https://meep.app/, and on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/bemeeper/mycompany/. You can also contact us directly at hello@meep.app

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