The news recently broke… New shared scooters will enter the Brussels market. After Lime, Dott, Bird, Bolt, Pony, Voi and Tier, this is the eighth operator to establish itself in the capital. But who is this newcomer? Where does it come from, and how does it intend to compete with the big boys? We tell you all about it…
“Made in Belgium” scooters
It is Gliize, a young family business from Brussels. Behind this start-up are Emin Luka, a former candidate in the Koh-Lanta show, and his son Sami. Their objective? To restore the image of electric scooters. Their priority is to offer a mode of transport that is ergonomic, easy to use and produces no CO2 emissions. By reducing pollution and traffic jams in city centres, Gliize will contribute to a more pleasant and healthier city. These scooters are designed to last over time thanks to their solid and resistant materials, and their battery has a long autonomy. From now on, 1,000 sky-blue scooters will be added to the 20,000 self-service scooters already available in Brussels. One thing is for sure, this new player is ambitious and wants a piece of the pie…
Assets to distinguish yourself from the competition
Gliize claims to be more locally based than competing giants such as Lime (California), Dott (Amsterdam), Bolt (Estonia), Tier (Berlin), Pony (Angers) or Poppy (Antwerp, Belgium). Thus, it hopes that users will spontaneously favor a local operator. Moreover, their rates remain in the low average of the current market in Brussels: €1 for the unlocking and €0.23 per minute thereafter.
For us, Brussels is our hometown: we live here, we know the city and its issues. I am convinced that we can make a difference with this.
EMIN LUKA, COFOUNDER ET COE OF GLIIZE
Gliize wants to distinguish itself from other providers by also focusing on safety. “Sami is a professional firefighter in Brussels, and this experience is a huge asset,” says Emin Luka. According to the CEO, many young people who use shared electric scooters are not sufficiently aware of the traffic rules, even though they are riding on public roads. In addition, helmets are not compulsory on scooters in the capital. For the founders of Gliize, prevention among users is all the more necessary. Thus, at the launch, the father/son duo assured that devices would be put in place…
We want to encourage our users to wear helmets and respect the rules of the road. We want to do this, for example, by organizing demonstrations in schools and by setting up the GLIZZ Rangers: a small community that considers it important to travel in a safe, ecological and orderly way.
SAMI LUKA, COFOUNDER OF GLIIZE
While Gliize is currently limited to the streets of the capital, father and son Luka hope to expand their fleet to other cities. “We are sitting around the table with other cities to see what is possible, and they are also responding positively to our approach. I am convinced that micromobility is a positive thing, despite the controversies that exist today,” says one of the cofounders. In addition, the cofounders of the brand are exploring other markets. That of companies and the hotel sector, in particular, to whom they wish to make scooters available to their employees or customers. It remains to be seen whether this local outsider will be able to withstand the tougher measures planned in Brussels in the coming months…
