Open Innovation Fund No. 3 Invests in Micro-Mobility Sharing Service Startup Neutron Holdings (Lime)

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―Bringing an electric scooter sharing service to underpin smart cities―

  • KDDI Corporation

August 9,2019

Tokyo, August 9, 2019―Foreseeing the growth of mobility businesses, KDDI Corporation has invested in Neutron Holdings, Inc. (Lime), the operator of a micro-mobility service sharing electric scooters and other items, through KDDI Open Innovation Fund No. 3 (operated by Global Brain Corporation, hereinafter KOIF3) which aims to invest in promising startups.
Furthermore, the three companies KDDI, Lime and Digital Garage Inc. (DG) will join the Fukuoka Smart East project run by the Fukuoka Smart East Promotion Consortium (comprising Kyushu University, Urban Renaissance Agency, Fukuoka City and Fukuoka D.C.) and will pilot-test the electric scooter sharing service for two days on September 7 and 8, 2019, in Fukuoka City.

Recently, many industries and municipalities are working to advance mobility and to secure means of transport for local residents and travelers to solve transport issues in local communities.
To solve these local community problems, KDDI will enhance MaaS, sharing services and other mobility areas. By joining the Fukuoka Smart East project and aiming to bring about a solid smart city, KDDI and Lime will jointly evaluate the use of electrical scooters on public roads and how they could be safely and conveniently used.
In addition to solving people's transport problems with big data, KDDI will evaluate new lifestyle experiences in cities, linking them to the various services it offers.

The Fukuoka Smart East project will continuously evolve while solving many problems associated with town building. By using the most advanced technological innovations and other initiatives, it will thus create pleasant and quality lifestyles as well as city space eventually building a model city that will shine in the future. Together with Lime and DG, KDDI will drive this project forward and create new experiences and value, including next-generation mobility services for the last mile.

Overview of Lime

  • (1)
    Company: Neutron Holdings, Inc.
  • (2)
    Headquarters: San Francisco, California, U.S.
  • (3)
    Established: January 2017
  • (4)
    Business: operating Lime, a micro-mobility service sharing electric scooters and other items, as well as developing and manufacturing special-purpose micro-mobility vehicles
  • (5)
    Representative: Brad Bao

The ideal future Lime, DG and KDDI aim in the Fukuoka Smart East project.

As a company which continues to offer excitement and advance the integration of telecommunications and life design, KDDI will promote business co-creation by investing in promising startups and create new experiences and value.

  • The information contained in the news releases is current at the time of publication. Products, service fees,service content and specifications, contact information, and other details are subject to change without notice.