Atsuke

What Atsuke does

Atsukè SAS, headquartered in Paris and founded in 2014 by Damien Bousson and Benoît Corbin through the merger of three mobile-and-mobility startups, is a private SaaS publisher specializing in mobile transaction solutions for public transport. The company operates a portfolio of three interconnected Atick platforms: Atick SMS, which enables passengers to purchase single-ride tickets by sending an SMS to a short code with the fare billed through French mobile operators; Atick CB, launched in 2022 as an app-free credit card payment option delivered via QR code or URL; and Atick Marketplace, launched in 2024 as a B2B2C REST API that allows third parties (tourism, events, retail, MaaS) to resell transport tickets. A companion Control Application validates tickets for inspectors.

Atsukè monetizes through transaction fees on SMS and card ticket sales, marketplace commissions on third-party reseller volume, and a usage-based SMS messaging platform branded ABOT (operated by subsidiary Atsukè Messaging Services) that covers 200+ countries with guaranteed throughput above 500,000 SMS per hour. Critically, Atsukè holds ACPR registration as a French payment institution agent and an ARCEP telecommunications operator authorization, enabling direct billing-rail integrations with Orange, SFR, Bouygues, and Free and creating a regulated cantonnement (segregated) account structure for next-day (J+1) remittance to transport operators and AOMs (autorités organisatrices de mobilités).

As of 2021, more than 100 public transport networks had adopted Atick SMS and over 115 million transport tickets had been issued. The company operates through direct enterprise sales to operators and AOMs, a self-service API for marketplace partners, and a Swiss subsidiary (MNC SA / Atsukè Suisse) for data processing on Swiss-hosted servers. No external venture or private equity funding has been disclosed in the source data; support includes ADEME 2017 Future Investment Programme funding and Innov'up Île-de-France backing for the Marketplace.

Name

Atsuke

Legal name

Atsukè SAS

Website

https://atsuke.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Atsukè is a Paris-based SaaS publisher that provides app-free mobile ticketing for public transport through Atick SMS, Atick CB, and Atick Marketplace, serving transport operators and mobility organizing authorities (AOMs) in France and Switzerland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Transport Mobile Ticketing Software

akta.pro primary industry

Mobile Ticketing & Digital Pass Apps (THAIAMAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Account-Based Ticketing (ABT) Platforms (THAIAMAA), Integrated Ticketing & Fare Management (Capping, Passes, Validators) (THADALAC)

Keywords

• Mobile ticketing
• Public transport
• Smart cities
• SaaS platforms
• SMS marketing

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. SMS Ticket Sales - Transaction Fees: Users purchase transport tickets via SMS; fare is billed through the mobile operator and proceeds are collected by Atsukè as ACPR-licensed payment agent and remitted to transport operators via cantonnement accounts at J+1.
2. Credit Card Ticket Sales - Transaction Fees: Users purchase transport tickets via credit card through Atick CB; Atsukè processes the payment, collects funds in cantonnement account, and remits to transport operators.
3. Marketplace Commission - Atick Marketplace: Atick Marketplace charges commission on tickets sold through third-party partner channels (tourism, events, MaaS, commerce) who purchase tickets via the API or web interface and resell to end consumers.
4. SMS Marketing Platform (ABOT): Atsukè Messaging Services (ABOT) generates revenue from businesses sending SMS campaigns globally, with messaging volume-based or subscription pricing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Atsukè is a French SaaS publisher that provides cloud-based mobile ticketing solutions for public transport operators and mobility organizing authorities (AOMs). The company offers three interconnected platforms — Atick SMS (ticket purchase via SMS billed to mobile operator), Atick CB (no-app credit card payment via QR code/URL), and Atick Marketplace (B2B2C ticket marketplace exposing transport ticket catalogs via REST API to third-party partners). It also operates ABOT, an SMS campaign management platform for enterprise clients globally.

Product overview

Atsukè is a SaaS publisher offering mobile transaction solutions primarily for public transport ticketing. The product portfolio consists of three interconnected Atick platforms: Atick SMS (SMS-based ticket purchase), Atick CB (credit card payment solution), and Atick Marketplace (transport ticket marketplace). All three solutions integrate with a companion Control Application for ticket validation by transport inspectors. The company also operates a separate business unit through Atsukè Messaging Services (AMS) offering the ABOT platform for SMS marketing campaigns. The Atick solutions are designed for public transport operators, organizing authorities (AOM), and enterprise partners in tourism, events, retail, and MaaS sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Atick: SaaS platforms for digitalization of public transport ticketing, including Atick SMS (SMS tickets), Atick CB (credit card purchase), and Atick Marketplace (transport ticket marketplace)
• Abot

Products and services

• Atick SMS SMS-based mobile ticketing solution for public transport that allows passengers to purchase tickets by sending an SMS to a short code (e.g., V1 to 93000) and receive their transport ticket instantly by return SMS, with charges applied to their mobile operator bill.
• Atick CB Credit card payment solution for purchasing transport tickets on mobile devices via a secure, personalized QR code or URL. The solution requires no account creation or application installation, delivering tickets via SMS or QR code.
• Atick Marketplace Transport ticket marketplace that enables partners (tourism operators, event organizers, retailers, MaaS providers) to sell public transport tickets through their digital channels (websites, mobile apps, CRM, POS). Includes transaction tracking and revenue management via cantonnement accounts.
• ABOT SMS Campaign Platform SMS campaign management platform enabling businesses to create, schedule, and track SMS marketing campaigns globally. Supports SMS with clickable links and RCS (Rich Communication Services). Features include campaign creation and planning, delivery tracking, automatic URL shortening, REST API and Webhooks integration, and 24/7 technical support with redundant secured infrastructure.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5% increase in ridership in the first year after implementing SMS ticketing (Réseau Astuce de Rouen)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• French Mobile Operators (Orange, SFR, Bouygues, Free)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2015Atsukè established technical and economic integrations with French mobile operators in 2015 to make SMS ticketing possible in France. Operators bill users for SMS tickets and remit proceeds to Atsukè's cantonnement account. This direct relationship without intermediaries is a key differentiator and required regulatory engagement.
• MNC SA (Atsukè Suisse)coreOthersMNC SA is a wholly-owned subsidiary (100% owned by the Atsukè group) based in Switzerland. It is used as a sub-processor for data handling operations, particularly for data hosted on Swiss servers via Safehost.
• SafehostminorOthersSafehost is the data hosting provider used by MNC SA for storing and processing data on Swiss servers.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Token Transit: Mobile ticketing platform for public transit agencies offering app-based and SMS/QR-code tickets, closely matching Atsukè's no-app mobile ticket purchase model for smaller transit networks.
• Masabi: UK-based SaaS provider of mobile ticketing and fare validation for public transit (Justride platform), offering SMS and app-based ticket purchase similar to Atick SMS. Closest direct peer for mobile transport ticketing in Europe.
• Bytemark: Provider of mobile ticketing and fare collection SaaS for transit agencies (Transit AppPay, ClickIt), with QR-code and account-based ticketing comparable to Atick CB and Atick Marketplace.
• Passport: Mobile platform for transit and parking payments, providing mobile ticketing and fare payment solutions to transit agencies — overlaps with Atick CB and Atick Marketplace as a SaaS ticketing provider.

Broad incumbents

• Worldline: Major European payment services provider with transit fare collection offerings — competes with Atsukè on payment processing and could bundle alternative ticketing solutions into transport deals.
• INIT: German supplier of integrated IT solutions for public transport including ticketing, planning, and dispatch — competes in French and European transit ticketing modernization procurements.
• Cubic Transportation Systems: Large incumbent in transit fare collection and ticketing infrastructure (NextBus, NextWave, Umo platform) supplying account-based and mobile ticketing to major global transit agencies — a broader incumbent competing with Atsukè in the same RFPs.
• Scheidt & Bachmann: German fare collection system provider offering mobile ticketing, validators, and back-office systems to European transit operators — competes in the same French and European ticketing modernization RFPs as Atsukè.

Others

• Twilio: Global cloud communications platform providing SMS APIs at scale — relevant peer for Atsukè's ABOT messaging business and a potential infrastructure partner or competitor for global SMS campaign services.

Emerging players

• Fluidtime: Austrian MaaS platform provider offering ticketing, journey planning, and mobility integration — comparable to Atsukè's marketplace ambition around MaaS application integrations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@atsuke9871/featured
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/atsuke
• Xx.com/atsukemobile
• Facebookfacebook.com/atsukemobile

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Atsuke