Degroof Petercam and Quadia invest in soft mobility in Belgium through their joint impact fund Regenero
Degroof Petercam is taking a minority stake in the Belgian bicycle leasing company Cyclobility through the Regenero Impact Fund ('Regenero'), which it manages in partnership with Quadia, an asset manager specialized in impact investing.
Cyclobility is involved in soft mobility by offering complete solutions for the leasing and sale of electric bicycles for daily commuting. The services also extend to maintenance and repair and are aimed at both professionals (employers and employees) and private individuals. Cyclobility combines a digital platform, three physical stores and a mobile technical assistance service. The number of kilometers traveled annually by Cyclobility users is estimated at 5 million kilometers.
Gautier Bataille de Longprey, Group Head of Business Development Degroof Petercam: " Three years after the launch of the Regenero fund in partnership with Quadia, we are proud and enthusiast to be able to participate in the fundraising of Cyclobility. We continue to deploy our resources in sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions such as soft mobility. This investment reflects our vision of responsible finance, a key pillar in our investment strategy. This investment also highlights the complementarity between Quadia's expertise in impact investment and our network of Belgian entrepreneurs. ”
Josep Segarra, Investment Manager Quadia: " Cyclobility is already Regenero Impact Fund's third investment in this sector in Europe, which we are approaching from different angles in order to cover the spectrum needed for the transition to more sustainable mobility and logistics. We will work with the company and its suppliers to make Cyclobility's offering even more holistic and relevant from an impact perspective. "
Andries Aumann, Founder and CEO of Cyclobility: " Our 'full service' model is a differentiating element that we intend to continue developing throughout Belgium. Our ambition is to reach the target of 10,000 leased bicycles by 2024 and to open new stores in Belgium. Combining financial expertise and strong impact values, Regenero Impact Fund is the ideal partner to accompany us in this next phase of our growth. "
About Cyclobility
Cyclobility was founded in 2016 by Andries Aumann with a clear mission: to provide efficient solutions for daily commuting by renting and selling quality electric bikes with all the necessary services to companies and individuals. Active throughout Belgium, Cyclobility had by the end of 2021, already more than 2000 bicycles for rent at more than 200 companies. In addition to a powerful digital platform, Cyclobility also has three physical stores (Ghent, Kluisbergen and Roeselare).
About de Regenero Impact Fund
Started in 2019, the Regenero Impact Fund is developed in partnership by Quadia and Degroof Petercam. It invests in European companies in key sectors (renewable energy, sustainable food, circular products and materials and soft mobility) that reinforce the transition to a 'regenerative economy'. The regenerative economy aims to restore and improve rather than simply maintain, within the limits of our planet alone. It is based on five dimensions: relocalized economy (supporting local communities where possible), collaborative (creating commons, peer-to-peer sharing), circular (encouraging circular production without waste), functionality (selling the use of a good rather than its ownership) and biomimetic (drawing inspiration from the way adaptation occurs in nature). Added to this is the promotion of fair value chains.