bycykel

What bycykel does

Bycykel is a Belgian non-profit organization (vereniging zonder winstoogmerk) headquartered in Destelbergen, Flanders, founded around 2016-2017. It operates a small core team of approximately five people focused on shared mobility, bicycle logistics, and active-mobility policy implementation. The organization's offering spans multiple interconnected products: Flexbike (a shared cargo-bike trailer program rolled out operationally from Q4 2024), Pilloot (training programs in bicycle logistics), Fietslogistiek (consulting services for governments and operators), Testvloot (a test fleet service), and Digitale Fietsapplicaties (digital applications for bicycle use). The technology stack is delivered in partnership with Afternoon Software (ICT platform) and TechDesign (smart-lock hardware), with research ties to KU Leuven.

Bycykel's business model is predominantly project-based and government-subsidized, supplemented by consulting fees, training revenue, and limited subscription or operational income from Flexbike and Testvloot. Customers include Flemish public-sector entities (FOD Mobiliteit, DMOW, VLAIO, Province of East Flanders, City of Antwerp, City of Ghent), as well as NGOs, small businesses, and families. The organization co-signed the Green Deal Deelmobiliteit alongside 60+ Flemish partners and is expanding in 2025 into the Smart Mobility Campus, an integrated test and demonstration facility. There are no disclosed financials; revenue is best understood as the sum of public-sector project grants and modest service income, placing the organization at small scale within the Flemish shared-mobility ecosystem.

Name

bycykel

Legal name

Vzw Bycykel

Website

https://bycykel.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Bycykel is a Flemish non-profit that designs, pilots, and operates shared bicycle and cargo-bike programs, and provides consulting, training, and test-fleet services to governments, NGOs, and small businesses across Belgium.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cycling Mobility Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Transportation (488), Truck, Utility Trailer, and RV (Recreational Vehicle) Rental and Leasing (53212), Other Support Activities for Transportation (4889)

SIC

Services-Auto Rental & Leasing (No Drivers) (7510), Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100)

akta.pro primary industry

Station-Based Bike Rentals (Bikeshare) (THADAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cargo Bikes & E-Cargo Bikes Rental/Leasing (TLABAGAB), Bike Rental, Demo & Tour Operators (Retail-Adjacent) (CRAMAHAJ), Bicycle Programs & Bike Share (Parking, Repair, Rentals) (EDALAKAE)

Keywords

• Cargo bike sharing
• Urban cycling logistics
• Sustainable mobility consulting
• Bicycle training programs
• Shared bike software

Headquarters

HQ city

Destelbergen

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Test Fleet Rental (Cargo Bikes & Trailers): Companies can rent cargo bikes and trailers at subsidized conditions for trial periods. The test fleet program offers free intensive guidance and free testing of cargo bike models, subsidized by government programs. In the Slim naar Antwerpen project, a 30% discount on rental rates was offered to participating service companies.
2. Training & Consulting Services: Bycykel offers basic training, advanced courses, and custom training solutions focused on safety, awareness, and efficient use of cargo bikes and trailers. The program is supported by the Federal Public Service for Mobility and Transport.
3. Bike Logistics Consulting & Project Management: Bycykel provides needs analysis, solution selection, implementation support, and ongoing coaching for businesses and governments transitioning to sustainable urban logistics. Services are tailored to the specific needs of companies, cities, and organizations.
4. Digital Bike Applications & Software: Custom software solutions including user-facing apps (Flexbike), management platforms for bike sharing, and logistics optimization software, developed in partnership with Afternoon Software and other technology partners.
5. Bike Sharing Memberships: Flexbike shared bike trailer system allows users to reserve and rent shared cargo trailers at neighborhood docking stations. The service targets families and neighborhoods, with modular pricing based on pilot program rates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Bycykel delivers an integrated portfolio of cycling mobility solutions: the Flexbike neighborhood-level shared cargo-trailer system (hardware dock plus reservation/rental app), cargo-bike logistics consulting for businesses and governments (Fietslogistiek), a cargo-bike training and safety program (Pilloot), a subsidized test fleet for companies (Testvloot), and custom digital cycling applications for bike sharing and urban logistics. The organization also conducts applied research and pilot projects with Flemish and Belgian public authorities to scale sustainable urban mobility.

Product overview

Bycykel offers a portfolio of cycling mobility solutions centered around the Flexbike neighborhood sharing system, complemented by professional services including cargo bike logistics consulting, the Pilloot training program, a test fleet for trying cargo bikes, and digital bike applications. Flexbike is the core product - a total solution combining a shared cargo trailer, mobile docking unit, and reservation/management app. The services support companies, governments, and project developers in transitioning to sustainable urban logistics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Flexbike: Smart bike-sharing system on neighborhood level, offering shared cargo bike trailers with mobile docking units and reservation/lending app for sustainable urban mobility.
• Pilloot

Products and services

• Flexbike shared cargo bike trailer system Neighborhood-level bike-sharing system enabling users to reserve and rent a shared cargo bike trailer via the Flexbike app and neighborhood docking station. Users attach the trailer to their own (preferably e-)bike and return it to the docking unit. Target users are families and residents in urban and suburban Flemish neighborhoods, including co-housing and apartment settings.
• Fietslogistiek cargo bike logistics consulting Consulting and implementation services for businesses and governments transitioning to sustainable urban logistics using cargo bikes and trailers. Includes needs analysis, solution selection, pilot program management, and ongoing coaching tailored to companies, cities, and organizations.
• Pilloot Opleidingen cargo bike training programs
• Testvloot cargo bike test fleet program A subsidized program allowing businesses to test various cargo bike and trailer models for at least 4 weeks, accompanied by needs analysis, solution matching, evaluation, and follow-up support. Free intensive guidance is included, with the program subsidized by government programs since 2018.
• Digitale Fietsapplicaties digital cycling applications

Quantifiable outcome

• Shared cargo bike trailers with 1,280 liters of additional load capacity
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Green Deal Deelmobiliteit en WonencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 April 2024Bycykel vzw participates in the Green Deal Deelmobiliteit en Wonen alongside 60+ organizations, focusing on introducing shared bike trailers across Flanders.
• RevivecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 November 2023Partnership with Revive to install e-cargo shared bikes at two new sites in Gent (Watt site and Rute site in Gentbrugge) as part of the province's sustainable mobility program.
• Thuiszorg VleminckveldminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2021Home care service provider in Antwerp using e-utility cargo bikes for daily operations in the city center. Bycykel equipped the bikes with custom accessories for home care delivery.
• Vzw AteljeecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 November 2020Social enterprise partner using cargo bikes and trailers for delivering clothing to Kringwinkel charity shops in Gent. Jointly deploying cargo bike solutions for sustainable urban distribution.
• Afternoon Software (Pieter)coreTechnology or IntegrationSoftware development partner providing custom software solutions for bike sharing platforms and digital applications. Pieter serves as a core team member and partner.
• TechDesign (Michel)coreTechnology or IntegrationHardware design partner providing technical hardware solutions. Michel serves as a core team member and partner.
• Erreweyaert (Nicholas)coreTechnology or IntegrationDesign partner contributing to product design and visual identity for projects including the Longtail e-bike O&O project.
• Open Plaats vzwminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial enterprise in Gent and Destelbergen using cargo bike trailers for collecting food surplus, also making the trailer available to customers.
• KU LeuvenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner contributing to research and development projects in cycling innovation and logistics.
• HowestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity college partner contributing to applied research projects in sustainable mobility.
• UAntwerpen (University of Antwerp)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for the O&O Longtail e-bike project, with a master student of product design researching possibilities for urban micro-logistics.
• Raaf BikeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-tenant at the Smart Mobility Campus in Destelbergen, contributing to the cycling innovation hub ecosystem.
• BicyclairminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProject partner providing cycling solutions as part of the broader project ecosystem.
• Ecomat / CircomatminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner company providing ecomat/circomat cycling equipment and solutions for sustainable urban logistics.
• UNIZOminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFlemish entrepreneurs' organization acting as a project partner for reaching SME members.
• VIL (Vlaams Instituut voor Logistiek)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlemish Institute for Logistics contributing expertise in logistics for sustainable urban distribution projects.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cargoroo: Dutch operator of shared cargo bikes in neighborhoods, the most direct functional peer to Bycykel's Flexbike system. Comparable business model: neighborhood-docked cargo bike sharing targeting families and urban residents, with municipal partnerships.
• Swapfiets: European bike-as-a-service subscription company operating across Belgium and the Netherlands. Comparable because it offers recurring-fee access to bikes without ownership, similar in spirit to Bycykel's Flexbike subscription model for shared cargo trailers.
• Donkey Republic: Danish bikeshare operator active across European cities with app-based station-based and dockless bike rental. Comparable business model to Bycykel's smart-locked shared bike deployments in Ghent and Antwerp.
• Ovelo (formerly Publieksfiets / Blue-Mobility Belgium): Belgian operator of public/shared bicycles and e-bikes through municipal partnerships, including in Flemish cities. Directly comparable as a regional bikeshare competitor and potential collaboration/customer counterpart.
• Beryl: UK-based micromobility operator running municipal bike share, e-scooter, and shared cargo bike schemes. Comparable as an operator providing app-based, smart-locked bike and cargo bike sharing with local government partnerships.

Broad incumbents

• Lime: Global micromobility incumbent operating shared e-bikes and e-scooters across European cities. Comparable as a broad-incumbent competitor with app-based bike sharing that Bycykel's pilots intersect with at the municipal-procurement level.
• TIER (Dott): European micromobility incumbent offering shared e-bikes and e-scooters in multiple Belgian and EU cities. Comparable as a larger incumbent that competes for the same municipal shared-mobility contracts Bycykel targets.
• Bolt: European mobility super-app providing shared e-bikes and e-scooters alongside ride-hailing. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering micromobility services in cities that overlap with Bycykel's municipal customer base.

Others

• Urban Arrow: Dutch manufacturer of premium family and business e-cargo bikes. Comparable as a key upstream supplier of the cargo bikes used in Bycykel's Flexbike fleet and Testvloot program, and as the dominant brand in Flemish cargo bike adoption.
• Decathlon: Major sporting goods retailer with cycling and cargo bike product lines plus municipal/tourism bike-rental services. Comparable as an adjacent ecosystem participant whose retail and rental channels overlap with Bycykel's addressable customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bycykel

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 bycykel