Maxim Romain

The #EuropeanCommission published the European Declaration on Cycling. Quote: "We aim to unleash the full potential of cycling in the EU. This Declaration recognises cycling as one of the most sustainable, accessible and inclusive, low-cost and healthy forms of transport and recreation, and its key importance for European society and the economy. The Declaration should serve as a strategic compass for existing and future policies and initiatives related to cycling." Such comprehensive and long term vision can bring back cycling to the public realm. It takes time, money and action from a wide variety of stakeholders to rebalance the built infrastructure that has been favoring the car in cities for the last 75 years or so. It also takes time for people to start using safe, comfortable and versatile cycling infrastructure, once built. I am looking forward to a policy drive in the UK that can achieve exactly that.

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Our skilled mechanic #Tebogo at #BanditzBicycleClub puts our latest Stroom e-Cargo Bikes e-cargo bike and e-trailer through its paces, ensuring it's primed to revolutionize urban deliveries. This isn't just a test run - it's a glimpse into the future of #smart, #sustainablelogistics. We're not just talking about going #green - we're proving that #ecofriendly solutions drive business success. Our growing e-cargo fleet demonstrates that #sustainability and #profitability go hand in hand, offering: • Lower operational costs • Increased agility in urban environments • Reduced carbon footprint • Enhanced brand image As we fine-tune each vehicle, we're fine-tuning the future of #logistics. Ready to electrify your operations and boost your bottom line? Talifhani Banks Onthatile Matseke Peter-John Freeman Vuyo Tofile - Emerging Markets Enabler Jos Sluijsmans #SustainableLogistics #ecargobikes #FutureOfDelivery #GreenBusiness

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Transport & Mobility Leuven's recently published report on "The Cycling Economy in Belgium" delivers great insights on the effects 'more cycling' on growth and jobs. https://lnkd.in/e-XCnGkG Very neatly summarised in the following extract: "We also calculated the additional net value added and employment generated for 1,000 additional bicycles. Each 1,000 additional shared bikes generates 2.9 million in value added net additional per year and 29 full-time employees. Every 1,000 additional bikes in leasing generates 2.8 million in net added value per year and creates 27 full-time jobs. Each 1,000 additional cargo bikes active in bicycle logistics generates 8.9 million net added value and approximately 1,000 full-time jobs." The report's author Rosanne Vanpée will be on hand to present the results of this research at the Cycling Industries Europe Summit on 2 October. I hope this can inspire other European countries to conduct similar studies on the economic benefits of growing cycling!

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New EU rules on trans-European transport network will enter into force this week, including urban nodes in relation to sustainable urban mobility ! They will strengthen the backbone of our mobility system by setting many targets, including: 🚆a minimum speed for trains of 160km/h; 🅿️ safe and secure parking areas every 150 km along the network; ✈️ an obligation to connect major airports with long-distance rail; 📦 more rail freight to meet the current demand.

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Interested in bike sharing? Check out this webinar

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Exciting News in the Search Engine Industry! 🚀 Qwant and Ecosia are teaming up to develop a new European search index, combining privacy-focused technology with environmental impact initiatives. Key Predictions: 1. This collaboration will revolutionize the search engine landscape, setting a new standard for privacy and sustainability. 2. The joint venture will inspire other tech companies to prioritize ethical practices and positive social impact in their work. General Commentary: - By merging their expertise, Qwant and Ecosia are not just competing, but also collaborating to create a better future for users and the planet. - This partnership exemplifies the growing trend of companies leveraging technology for good, showcasing the power of innovation in driving positive change. Get ready for a game-changing shift towards a more conscious and sustainable digital experience! #TechForGood 🌍🔍

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Excellent news: e-scooter emissions have just about halved over the last 4 years - and all other micromobility emissions have reduced (from their already low levels) too. This ITF - International Transport Forum report is a must read for colleagues in shared transport and mobility as a service. #bikeshare #escooter #MaaS

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The entire rail world is looking to Berlin this week for #InnoTrans2024, at the same time the EU 🇪🇺 intensifies its focus on sustainable mobility. Just days ago, European Commission President #UrsulaVonDerLeyen introduced a new portfolio for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, emphasizing the EU’s commitment to cutting transport emissions by 90% by 2050. With rail emitting up to 80% less CO2 than cars or planes, it’s clear that rail travel is key to this strategy. Tourism, contributing 10% of the EU’s GDP and employing over 27 million people, is undergoing a vital shift towards sustainability. The EU's recent investment of €1.5 billion in green travel infrastructure highlights the seriousness of this move (much more to come). At Rail Europe, our mission aligns perfectly. Rail is responsible for just 0.4% of Europe’s transport emissions, and we look forward to collaborating with national train operating companies, businesses, and industry leaders to make European mobility greener and more resilient. With #ApostolosTzitzikostas as the new Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, we expect even greater momentum toward sustainable travel solutions. The future of European #mobility is sustainable, and rail is leading the charge! Are you ready to join us on this journey? Share your thoughts in the comments! #MakingTrainTravelEasy #Future

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In 2023, Belgium based e-bike startup Cowboy's revenue was down 17.6% to €33.7m from €40.9m in 2022. Here is everything you need to know: 👉 Losses narrowed to €21.6m from €32.1m mostly from reduced purchases - €17.2m in 2023 vs €33.5m in 2022. 👉 Operating losses as a percentage of revenues improved from 66.3% to 57.4%. Operating loss in 2023 was €19.3m vs €27.1m in 2022 👉 Cowboy has booked ~€18.6m as Miscellaneous services and goods 👉 Remuneration expenses dropped from. €7.3m to €6.2m in 2023 👉 Cumulative losses so far stand at €103.8m. For context, according to Crunchbase, Cowboy has raised €137.5m so far. 👉 At the end of 2023, Cowboy had negative net assets at €22.4m and about €38m in debts that are due within one year. 👉 In H1 2023, Cowboy raised €7.8m in equity, out of which €1.4m from crowdfunding. They also raised and another €5m in venture debt from TriplePoint Capital, maturing in 30months With the void left by VanMoof last year, sales should've been higher in 2023. having said that, decline in sales is inline with wider e-bike sales trend in Europe. In most countries, sales has declined of plateaued the last years. Given that Cowboy is operationally not profitable (-€19.3m), they have a long way to go to be profitable. In the short term, they probably will also have to raise more funds to keep going. Check link in comments for more. #cowboy #financials #mobility

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70% of Europeans would prefer combining rail and road transport over using only heavier trucks and #megatrucks to save our #environment and our #Climate ... Let's make sure that the #WeightsAndDimensionsDirective does not undermine the EU’s ambition to decarbonise the transport sector. All info on https://lnkd.in/euBSTdfW #GoRailAndRoad #SustainableTransportation #RailFreightForward #RailnRoad #StopMegatrucks #WeightsAndDimensionsDirective

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We did our Rail Europe Product Lead Offsite - so what, isn’t this just having fun…? As the working principle of Rail Europe is ‘remote-first’, well-scheduled personal offsites are becoming one of our essential personal meetings to foster our team culture and to focus on key strategic topics. Pre-Covid often thought of as a nice-to-have in many industries, for us a well-set offsite is one of the most meaningful ways to meet face-to-face. Essential for it to work: Looking for the perfect offsite venue to get the creative vibes flowing. We had a great one! Thanks to Jeeda Oulabi, we found the Youza ecolodge just an hour from Paris (of course easily accessible by train to Bueil and a short taxi ride). Youza is an eco-lodge project located in La Couture-Boussey, Normandy, conceived as a place for authenticity, creativity, and a return to essentials in harmony with nature. Our Youza experience: A meeting room in the middle of the nature sets the spirit free and physically removed ourselves from our daily routine. No distractions, by getting ourselves out of our daily work environment. And it shows up pretty quickly: Much like creativity and strategic thinking can benefit immensely from a change of scenery. Particularly where our product lead team really digs into our key strategic plan, the product vision and product strategy and also the tactics for the year’s biggest project, the specific period of time of an offsite really helped. No distractions. It’s the perfect setting to disconnect from everything else and to reconnect as a team. And for sure, an offsite is also a really good time 😊. The purpose of our offsite meeting is to provide a mental breath of fresh air that everyone needs to be successful. As we are always working hard to achieve more and impact more, sometimes you need simply to come together as a team to appreciate what you have achieved and how to tackle the upcoming challenges. Thanks so much Simas Torgovickis ACC, our Agile Coach for the excellent facilitation (and for letting us know that Lithuanian is one of the oldest languages in Europe) and thanks to this strong product lead team, Oceanne Massoud, Raphaëlle Henriet, Juliette Bauret, Eve-Marie Guidier, Loic Robert and Wilhelm Wehner! Knowing now our two favorite songs and our first declared jobs completes the picture perfectly 😊 And thanks to you Björn Bender, for taking the time on Day 1 to discuss and work with us - that was just great! Even if you missed the evening part….:-)  

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Innotrans '24: Young train drivers staring at me in disbelief. At Europe's Rail System Pillar stand, I was talking to people about the Operational Design domain and the need to harmonise ETCS L2 wos operations. Two groups of young train drivers (Dutch students and German freight drivers) just could not comprehend that a system that has European in the name is not harmonised across Europe. Little they know that there are even intra-nation harmonisation problems. I think this little fact is not widely known, even amongst railway professionals, and even more, there is also not a clear explanation of why things turned out this way, and that any realistic chance of a single European CCS product will appear at the earliest already in the 2030s. Even this goal is considered optimistic by most people in the signalling world. Through the eyes of younger people, we can take a different perspective on expectations. What for experienced people is a wild dream, for youngsters should have been reality a long time ago.

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What's wrong with the Belgian football sponsorship landscape and why I see big opportunities in the market! 🚀 🇧🇪 Here is my PERSONAL view, based on conversations with over 45 sponsorship managers in Belgium, both from clubs and sponsoring brands, over the last 6 months. Problems: 1. Lack of innovation in sponsorship packages. Deals are not optimized for the sponsor’s business goals. Too often, proposals are generic, offering little personalization to meet the sponsor’s specific needs. ROI measurement is primarily based on media valuations, which are, to put it mildly, questionable. 2. Clubs are constantly in a “rat race,” chasing short-term goals. This short-term mindset, combined with frequent turnover in management, makes it difficult to establish long-term strategies that create value. Brand building, data and commercialization strategies are all examples where a bigger, integrated vision is needed. Club Brugge is one of the greatest examples on how an integrated strategy creates value for all stakeholders involved. 3. There’s a scarcity in the market. Most clubs are looking for new sponsors due to the upcoming regulations around betting starting in 2025. Demand for sponsors is high, while the supply is low. Opportunities: 1. There are big sponsorship opportunity by being part of the change! Commit to a long-term strategy that helps clubs elevate their game, while simultaneously creating additional value for yourself as a sponsor, the club, and the fans. Don’t settle for minimal investment just to gain mediocre exposure. Instead, commit more but with a clear, strategic plan that delivers value for both parties. 2. As a sponsor, you can currently get excellent value for your money in the mid-tier clubs, as prices are dropping. For as little as €100K, you could already secure substantial brand exposure and even placement on the kit but like I said, go further than this. 3. With innovations in conversion measurement, performance-based sponsorships are now possible, allowing for deeper partnerships where goals are mutually aligned. In summary, I believe the future of sponsorships is bright. We are overwhelmed by traditional advertising and logos on a daily basis. Sponsorships offer a unique way to stand out by connecting with people’s passions and building a deeper emotional link. We should get the most out of this. What do you think about think about or how do you perceive sponsorships?

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Transport in the European Union - Current trends and issues ✅ This report provides an overview of the latest developments in the EU transport sector, highlighting trends and issues for both the EU and individual Member States. Aligned with the EU’s Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, it outlines the current situation on our path to reduce transport greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2050. ✅ The report emphasises the need for recovery investments to modernise and green the sector, strengthen the Single Market and complete the trans-European transport network (TEN-T) while ensuring safe and secure mobility. Finally, the report provides an overview of key transport indicators for each EU country. #transport #europeanunion #sustainablemobility #sustainabletransport #renewables #lowcarbonfuels #zeroemissionsmodes #zeroemissionsvessels #modalchoices #transportmodes #roadtransport #railtransport #waterbornetransport #maritimetransport #inlandwaterways #freighttransport #externalcostsoftransport #smartmobility #multimodal #multimodalmobility #innovativemobility #digitalisation #transportlogistics #drones #dronesregulatoryframework #resilientmobility #transportinfrastructure #safety #security #countryfactsheets https://lnkd.in/d-C-JuhH

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Last week, I announced the start of my new adventure at Docfield. Looking back at my first month, it has very much been a rollercoaster ride🤯 Returning to a scale-up essentially means two things: rolling up your sleeves and getting stuff done. Building companies has always been my passion and I am glad to be back in an environment that bustles with the energy of opportunity 🚀 In my first blog for Docfield, I reflect on the pitfalls that a Docfield-type application could have saved me from if I would have discovered it earlier on in my career. Having seen a thing or two in the field of document management, it might hold some useful insights 💡 Read the blog here: https://lnkd.in/ghteFgR5

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My notes from Tomorrow.Mobility Day2 - Automated vehicles (AV) will enter in several EU cities - Shift from technical pilots to commercial deployments - AV's will help cities to redesign public transport routes (faster, optimised, fewer costs) - Tangible benefits: Better use of public space, improved service and reduced costs. - Need for EU wide AV homologation for M2/M3 AV's and unified road regulation (incl. simplified permit process) It is all about delivering quality of life in cities, which must be safe for everyone. Also when moving in a city.

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What will the future of urban last-mile travel look like? 🚦Our latest blog by Rishabh Ghotge, Zero Emissions Mobility Specialist, Cenex Nederland delves into the transformative potential of battery swapping for e-mopeds. It addresses the common challenges of limited range, lengthy charging times, and high costs associated with electric mopeds. By exchanging batteries at convenient stations, riders can easily extend their range, making electric mopeds a practical and sustainable choice for city travel. 🔋 🛵As cities worldwide grapple with air pollution and implement low-emission zones, battery swapping could be a game changer for urban mobility. This approach not only enhances convenience and affordability but also supports the shift towards zero-emission transportation. To find out how battery swapping is revolutionising last mile connectivity and why it could be the answer for European cities, read the full blog now: https://lnkd.in/epBT_-SB #NetZero #Transport #Infrastructure #urbanmobility #micromobility #electricvehicles #sustainabletransport

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✍️Just released! Dive into our latest blog post "Micromobility: Shaping the Future of Sustainable Last Mile Urban Logistics" on DutchX.com. Read about how we are leading the way in transforming urban logistics with sustainable, technology-driven last mile delivery solutions, emphasizing zero-emission vehicles and micromobility! 🚲 🔗Check it out in the link in the comments #Micromobility #Sustainability #Techenabled #Innovation #LogisticsSolutions #DutchX

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𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞 - 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝟐 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝟑 🥁 Progress 240/1000 The journey to talk with a thousand people continues. After last weeks discussion with Tim de Kraker I decided it would be fitting to also call this journey "The Product - Market Fit". So if you know someone who's also navigating the early stages of a startup, feel free to share these insights! 🔔 So what did I actually learn in the 2 weeks and talking to 150 people? Well I managed to hone in on more specific target groups. Imagine, after a year of doing a startup only now did it become clear to me 💡 For Note-Bridge, this realization reshapes everything—our marketing approach, product design, and even the specific events we plan. Initially, I aimed to reach the entire music community. While that's still the dream, starting with a focused group seems the smarter approach. So, now it's time to test and see if the these are the right target groups! 📏 I have a question for you more seasoned entrepreneurs: Do you share insights about your target groups, problems, solutions, and experiments on social media? I learned in the beginning that you shouldn't to keep your ideas hidden, but what about sharing these types of discoveries? Curious to hear what you think! 🎶 Jorg Wellink Gabriel Costa Ties Verberne Mahmoud El Wakil Shayan Shokri Christoff Heunis Kaspar Rothenfusser

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