What Forest does

Forest (Human Forest Limited) is a London-based shared mobility operator that runs a dockless, ad-supported e-bike service. Founded in 2020, the company operates a fleet of 20,000 e-bikes across 19 London boroughs — the widest dockless footprint in the city — supported by a mobile application on iOS and Android. Riders can unlock bikes through Forest's own app or via partner platforms, including Bolt, Bird, and umob. The company reports approximately 1.5 million registered users and roughly 2 million rides per month.

Forest's technology stack comprises a proprietary mobile application, an in-house advertising platform, and a parking compliance software system, with hardware sourced through a strategic relationship with OKAI (also an investor). Charging infrastructure is powered by 100% zero-carbon electricity supplied via Octopus Energy, and the company is B Corp certified. The firm has invested in dedicated parking infrastructure — approximately 2,600 bays — to address borough-level sidewalk clutter concerns.

The business model is multi-revenue. End-user ride revenue combines pay-as-you-go fares (with a £1/30-minute promotional entry price for new riders) and £1.70/day cycle-to-work subscriptions sold through employers. The company describes its on-bike advertising business as the largest single revenue line, monetising the fleet's outdoor media surface to advertisers including its partners. A third revenue stream comes from municipal B2G contracts — most notably a four-year agreement with the London Borough of Haringey — plus borough-level parking agreements. Distribution-side revenue and customer-acquisition leverage come from multi-app partnerships with Bolt, Bird, and umob, through which Forest e-bikes are surfaced to riders outside Forest's first-party app. The reported headcount is extremely lean at 1–10 employees, implying heavy reliance on software automation and outsourced operations.

Name

Forest

Legal name

Human Forest Limited

Website

https://forest.me

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Forest is a London-based shared, dockless e-bike operator with 20,000 bikes across 19 boroughs, accessible via its mobile app and partner platforms (Bolt, Bird, umob). It serves commuters, employers, and London boroughs using an ad-supported, 100% zero-carbon electricity model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Pay-as-you-go e-bike rides: Consumer usage-based revenue: riders pay per minute of e-bike use, with a £1 unlock promo covering the first 30 minutes of the first ride. Pure transactional / consumption-based pricing.
2. Cycle-to-work subscription: Recurring employer-sponsored cycle-to-work revenue billed at £1.70 per day, distributed via payroll deduction / salary-sacrifice schemes through partner employers.
3. On-bike advertising: Advertising-led revenue model in which brands pay to display ads on Forest e-bikes; the largest single revenue line is intended to subsidise rider cost and decouple unit economics from ride fees.
4. Multi-app distribution partnerships: Revenue share / commission from rides originated inside partner super-apps (Bolt, Bird) and MaaS platforms (umob), monetised as marketplace commission on bookings they originate.
5. Municipal B2G contracts: Multi-year dockless e-bike operating contracts and parking agreements with London boroughs (e.g., four-year Haringey contract; K&C parking agreement), providing contracted fleet access and kerb rights.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion5 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Forest operates a dockless, shared, ad-supported e-bike service across 19 London boroughs using a fleet of approximately 20,000 electric-assist bicycles. Riders access the service through the Forest iOS/Android app to locate, unlock, and pay per ride, with the first pay-as-you-go ride priced at £1 for 30 minutes. The company supplements ride revenue with on-bike brand advertising that subsidises rider costs, and distributes fleet inventory through partner super-apps (Bolt, Bird, umob), employer cycle-to-work schemes, and multi-year London borough operating contracts.

Product overview

Forest operates a single, unified shared e-bike service (Forest E-Bike Share) accessed through its Forest Mobile App, supported by a Cycle to Work employer program and a Forest Partnerships distribution channel. The core e-bike share is the product; the mobile app is the user-facing platform; Cycle to Work and Partnerships are add-on modules that extend access to the e-bike fleet through employers and third-party apps such as Bolt, Bird, and umob.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Forest E-Bike Share Consumer pay-as-you-go shared e-bike service operating across 19 London boroughs with a fleet of approximately 20,000 electric-assist bicycles charged on 100% zero-carbon electricity via Octopus Energy. Riders self-onboard through the Forest iOS/Android app, locate bikes on a map, scan to unlock, and are billed per minute, with a £1 first-ride promo covering 30 minutes.
• Forest Cycle to Work Subscription-based employer benefit programme that lets employees access Forest e-bikes from £1.70 per day through payroll deduction, available to staff of participating UK employers as a tax-efficient commuting benefit.
• Forest On-Bike Advertising B2B on-bike advertising product in which brands pay to display advertisements on Forest's e-bike fleet, intended to be the largest single revenue line and to subsidise rider costs across the London network.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1.5 million registered users on Forest's London shared e-bike platform
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Haringey CouncilcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 11 March 2026Haringey Council awarded Forest a four-year dockless e-bike operating contract (effective from 1 April 2026) alongside Lime, granting Forest the right to operate shared e-bikes within the borough under agreed terms.
• Royal Borough of Kensington and ChelseacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2026Following 787 bike confiscations and over £210,000 in charges, Forest (with Lime) signed a parking agreement with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea restricting e-bike parking to 245 designated kerb spaces in the borough.
• Octopus EnergyflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 December 2025Octopus Energy supplies 100% zero-carbon renewable electricity to charge Forest's 20,000 e-bike fleet and powers Forest's operations, underpinning Forest's headline sustainability claim. The partnership also includes joint customer and employee engagement programmes.
• umobcoreTechnology or Integration · 11 November 2025umob is a Dutch Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) platform that launched its first full-scale UK entry in London through a partnership with Forest, enabling Londoners to find, book, and pay for Forest e-bikes inside the umob app.
• BoltflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 5 March 2025Bolt integrated Forest's 15,000 e-bikes into the Bolt app across 14 London boroughs, allowing Bolt's existing ride-hail and mobility users to discover and unlock Forest e-bikes through Bolt's app as a distribution channel.
• BirdcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 12 December 2024Bird, a global micromobility operator, partnered with Forest to enable Bird app users in London to access Forest's sustainable shared e-bikes through the Bird app, giving Forest an additional distribution channel via Bird's existing user base.
• The Rivers TrustminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Rivers Trust is a UK water-environment charity with which Forest announced a charitable partnership as part of its Series A extension, supporting Forest's sustainability positioning and community engagement narrative.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Lime: Lime is the largest global shared e-bike and e-scooter operator and Forest's primary direct competitor in London. Lime operates alongside Forest in the Haringey two-operator framework and is the closest functional, geographic, and operational peer to Forest's e-bike share business.
• Bird: Bird is a global shared micromobility operator that competes with Forest in London e-bike sharing and is also a distribution partner (Bird app integrates Forest bikes). Directly comparable on shared-fleet operations, app-based unlock, and council procurement.
• Bolt: Bolt operates shared e-bikes in London alongside its ride-hail business and is both a direct competitor and a distribution partner to Forest (Bolt app integrates Forest bikes). Comparable on shared e-bike operations, multi-mode mobility app strategy, and London borough procurement.
• Voi Technology: Voi is a European shared micromobility operator (scooters and e-bikes) active across the UK and EU. Comparable as a European shared-fleet operator pursuing municipal contracts, with a similar mix of asset-heavy fleet operations and council procurement exposure.
• Dott: Dott is a European shared e-scooter and e-bike operator with operations across the UK, France, and other EU markets. Comparable as a directly competing shared-micromobility operator with similar council procurement, fleet rebalancing, and per-ride revenue model dynamics.

Broad incumbents

• Tier Mobility: Tier is one of Europe's largest shared micromobility operators (owned by Uber-aligned investors post-restructuring), competing with Forest for European shared-fleet opportunities. Comparable as a broader incumbent operating across multiple EU markets and vehicle types, with deeper capital backing.
• Lyft: Lyft operates shared bikes and scooters across North American cities and partners with micromobility operators. A broader incumbent in the multimodal urban-mobility space, comparable through its shared-bike offering, multi-app distribution strategy, and municipal procurement exposure.
• Uber: Uber integrates shared bikes and scooters (including Lime in many markets) into its global ride-hail app and is a strategic investor in Tier. Comparable to Forest through its multimodal mobility app strategy, multi-app distribution model, and asset-heavy micromobility partnerships.
• Spin (Tron/Ice Mobility): Spin operates shared e-scooter and e-bike fleets across North America and Europe under Tier's ownership. Comparable as a broader shared-micromobility incumbent with similar fleet operations, app-based unlock, and municipal-procurement dynamics to Forest.

Regional players

• TfL (Transport for London) Santander Cycles: TfL's Santander Cycles is London's docked, station-based bike-share scheme and the de facto incumbent urban cycle-hire option in the city. Comparable as a London-specific shared-bike service targeting the same commuter and short-trip demand, but operating a docked rather than dockless model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/forestbikeapp
• Instagraminstagram.com/forestbike_uk
• TikToktiktok.com/@forestbike_uk

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds12 records

Investors9 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Forest