The launch announced on Friday builds on the company’s wider expansion drive which has already seen it win contracts in three cities in Australia and New Zealand, and three cities in the United Kingdom over the last six months.
And in September 2020 Neuron announced a funding round led by Australian venture capital firm, Square Peg, along with GSR Ventures, bringing its total Series A funding to US$30.5 million.
Neuron says the capital has put the company in a strong position to accelerate international expansion post COVID-19, and to maintain “industry leadership” when it comes to innovation and safety.
Since the funding announcement, Neuron says it has won new contracts to operate in Canberra, Townsville and Dunedin in Australia and New Zealand and in the United Kingdom it has secured contracts in Slough, Newcastle and Sunderland.
Neuron says its decision to launch in Korea -- “a country which had previously left e-scooters largely-unregulated” -- was made after the government’s recent introduction of stricter rules which outline how e-scooters should be ridden and operated.
According to Neuron, micromobility continues to boom in many Korean cities, and with an increased focus on safety and enforcement by the authorities, it has become attractive to Neuron as the company specialises in operating in highly-regulated and safety-conscious markets.
Zachary Wang, CEO of Neuron Mobility said: “We’re delighted to be expanding globally. Cities across the world are rethinking their transport systems and increasingly people are looking for a safe, convenient and socially-distanced way to travel post COVID-19. This presents a great opportunity for micromobility providers. The time is right to export our knowhow to new cities across the globe.
“Wherever we operate in the world we have a major focus on safety. Our approach has always been to partner with cities and to adapt to meet their needs, which has led to quite a few world firsts and innovations. We strive to lead the industry when it comes to safety and sustainable operations.”
Neuron says its e-scooters are built specifically for renting and rider safety, with the company “the first to implement a full suite of geofencing, allowing councils to better control where and how fast e-scooters can be ridden”.
“Neuron’s e-scooters were also the first to feature interchangeable batteries for greener operations. They were the first to integrate Voice Guidance to educate users to ride safely. Neuron also launched the world’s first app-controlled Helmet Lock, which secures a safety helmet to the e-scooters between trips.
“Neuron has introduced a range of other innovations including a topple detection feature that can detect if an e-scooter has been left on its side which then alerts an operations team to reposition it safely; an emergency button which can tell if someone has had a fall and helps the rider call the emergency services; and, a Follow my Ride feature allowing the rider’s friends and family track an e-scooter trip in real time for added safety and peace of mind,” Neuron said.
