Redefining mobility: reflecting on a six-year journey and ongoing pursuit to change how people move around

In the bustling streets of Madrid six years ago, in September 2017, Meep was born. The founders, myself and three others, Armando Heras Ruiz , César, and Borja Fernández Acero Bascones , were a small but determined group with a singular mission: to reshape how we move around our cities. As we hit the six-year mark since opening our doors, I find myself reflecting on the remarkable journey that brought us to where we are today.

Our vision emerged from a simple yet profound goal: to help cities manage their growing transportation needs for a growing population while also being kinder to the planet. This meant finding a way to facilitate a shift from personal cars to more eco-friendly modes of transport. We believed that by providing seamless tools for planning, booking, and paying for a connected network of multimodal transportation, we could encourage city dwellers to embrace alternative options instead of relying only on their private vehicles, which heavily contribute to global pollution.

As I shared our mission with friends and family, I encountered a recurring question, “Isn’t 谷歌 already doing that?" The simple answer was no, but the question was a challenge that fueled our determination. We understood that while tech giants existed, our dedication to sustainable mobility and the intricacies in our product set us apart. Our aim wasn't just competition - it was and is transformation. We wanted to develop technology that alleviated the burden of daily commuting and challenged the dominance of cars.

Starting from scratch was both exciting and intimidating. Together, we built everything from the ground up: a business plan that matched our vision, a strong backend system, a journey planner and even the basic nuts and bolts of our operation like finding office space and managing finances.??

Whether you are an entrepreneur, a mobility enthusiast or climate-conscious, join me as I recount our successes and stumbling blocks over the past six years, highlighting the most important lessons that one only learns by doing. This reflection is not just a description of our history - it’s an open invitation to those looking to introduce something new in a traditional setting and turn ideas into tangible change.?

Early Days: a name that says it all plus initial funding

Once we greenlit the company, we needed to choose a name that was simple, relevant and memorable. Meep, inspired by the distinctive sound of the cartoon Road Runner, epitomized the dynamism we envisioned for city transport. ComicVine tells us that while Road Runner appears to be an ordinary bird, he has superspeed, he never tires and is always one step ahead of Coyote. His characteristics and signature sound, Meep Meep, represented the movement we envisioned for city transport and our company. With the creative collaboration of Muak Studio , a design studio, we translated this vision into our emblematic logo which is synonymous with innovation and progress.

Our first pivotal milestone was an initial investment of 500,000 which gave us the fuel to create the foundations of the company. We built the first iteration of the product and initiated a live testing phase, always in pursuit of an exceptional user experience. Through this process, we learned that navigating the balance between software development cycles and the evolving demands of our potential clients proved to be a formidable challenge. Yet, in the crucible of this challenge, we forged a deeper understanding of how to align technology with real-world needs, equipping us with insights crucial to creating impactful solutions used by consumers. Armed with this knowledge, we went on to raise more capital, not just pitching financial prospects, but working to paint a picture of a worthwhile future where urban mobility would become a multimodal transport ecosystem.

Lessons learned: global contracts and a global pandemic??

Next up for Meep was securing our first major contract - developing the Tallinja app for the country of Malta. Our challenge was to build the principal app for transportation on the island that all bus and ferry riders used to get around. To do so, we had to convert legacy tech and disparate data into a modern, data-driven app complete with real-time information. At the same time, we debuted our Meep-branded app in Málaga in the south of Spain, which would be the first publicly endorsed MaaS project in the country, aggregating not only bus and metro, but also bikes, taxis and kick scooters.

These simultaneous projects not only demanded the expansion of our team and additional funding but also brought about key tenants to our technology - the need for agile and turnkey solutions that were flexible enough to accommodate the nuances of each city and country where we deployed. We learned through this work that our journey had to be about not only envisioning and creating the tools for change, but actively working to encourage a shift in behavior with the help of our partners.

In addition to the big-picture lessons learned from Malta and Málaga, we also learned practical lessons. An important example was that meticulous planning does not eliminate unforeseen events and therefore hiccups and potential delays. We were very much reminded of the truth articulated so well by Scott Belsky, “rule of thumb for UX: more options, more problems.” We learned that an intuitive and seamless user experience had to be a guiding principle in our design philosophy that balanced transportation choice with simplicity.

As we built momentum, won new contracts, refined our technology and even moved into a new office for our growing team, we, like the rest of the world, were shocked by the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic generated new demands on transportation, including space, cleanliness and accommodating changes in mobility routines. We found that the need for reliable, sustainable public transport as well as more access to lesser-used modes like bicycles and scooters became supremely important, which allowed us to stay true to our original mission and core values. At the same time, we also recognized the value of our stellar team and weathered the storm together without letting anyone go - a testament to our shared dedication.

The impact

Meep emerged slightly scratched from the pandemic but stronger and more resolute than ever with a robust product and success stories under our belt in the new normal. New investors from around the globe, recognizing our potential and what we had set out to accomplish, joined our mission. These included groups from places like Mexico, Cyprus, and Sevilla, as well as expansive global companies like Alsa , the largest bus operator in Southern Europe, and Aena , one of the major airport operators worldwide. By partnering with these global entities, we were able to bring Mobility as a Service (MaaS) applications and entirely new mobility ecosystems to passengers around the world, making sure our product fit their needs. These products are transforming the way passengers interact with transportation, bringing the experience of planning, booking and paying together in a single platform and pushing our team to be more creative as we evolve and scale our technology. Experiencing this transformative impact directly has reaffirmed the importance of our mission and shown us that it is possible to bring a vision to life. In doing so, Meep has become a pivotal voice in the MaaS discourse not only in Europe, but in other parts of the world.

In addition to propelling the understanding and adoption of MaaS around the world, we have also been able to grow our team. From the original four founding members, the Meep team now has over 40 people, in different corners of the world. The intricacies of rapid expansion also provided invaluable lessons, especially on the significance of team dynamics and unity. At the same time, it has revealed how a dedicated group can evolve and cultivate its unique culture and understanding amidst challenges. Today, Meep stands as a more mature entity, equipped with established processes and specialized teams. Our journey has taught us how to navigate challenging contracts and deploy software that brings transformation to urban landscapes. To each and every individual who has contributed their passion and dedication to our journey, both in the past and present, we extend our heartfelt gratitude. The efforts of those who are now part of Meep, as well as the indelible mark left by those who have gone on to new projects, have shaped our company's identity and moved us forward.

As we look back on the past six years, we are filled with pride on all we have accomplished together so far, and all that we hope to accomplish on the path ahead. With lessons learned, a united team, and a product that empowers change, we're poised to build better cities, pioneer sustainable mobility, and continue shaping a future where transportation is not just a necessity, but a force for positive transformation.

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