UZE Mobility plans to generate revenue through digital advertising screens on the vans which turn StreetScooters into ‘mobile billboards’, and by selling data about traffic patterns and road conditions to local authorities. That way they believe they can let their customers use their vehicles for free – Now that is brave!

As trendwatching.com point out there are three powerful lessons here for any startup or established business.

Next top model. It’s the innovative business model that allows UZE Mobility to rip up the rules of urban transport – ‘you use a vehicle, you pay for it’ – and offer something potentially transformative. Start from a blank page and ask yourself: how could you redesign your business model in a way that allows you to offer something just as disruptive inside your industry?

New data play. Learn that UZE Mobility plans to make money by selling data, and you’d probably assume it was customer data they plan to sell. Instead, they’re leveraging the value of their traffic and road data. Beyond customer data, what value lies hidden in the data generated by your business processes? Who will pay for it?

One vision. UZE Mobility’s founder is wrapping up his business in a vision that goes way beyond free journeys; he says he wants his company to help Germany achieve emission-free cities by 2025. The lesson here? Don’t just sell a service, sell a vision of a better world for everyone. What similarly inspiring vision can you present?

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