As one thrilling year ends, an even more exciting one begins

2021 has undoubtedly been an intense and emotional year. The last twelve months have continued to be marked by the global pandemic, but we’ve adapted and learned to live in a new world with new challenges and promising new opportunities.

Shotl started the year by conquering new ground with the launch of its Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform outside Europe, so citizens in places as diverse and far-flung as Japan and Brazil can now experience the advantages of on-demand transport first hand.

Other notable news included the start of operations in Calaf, Spain, as a result of Shotl winning the SmartCataloniaChallenge in 2020; the Carles project in Sant Cugat, Spain, for B2C transport and local package delivery; deployments in such varied environments as the large European capital of Lisbon, Portugal; a large 2,000 km2 rural area in the Scottish Highlands; and hugely successful deployments in tourist destinations like coastal Rimini, Italy, and the mountainous Andermatt region of the Swiss Alps.

In parallel, Shotl achieved new milestones with its apps becoming available via Huawei’s AppGallery to a potential market of over 500 million users, as well as obtaining the prestigious Solar Impulse and 50solutions labels for solutions that favor sustainable and lasting development.

Other notable news included winning the Entrepreneur XXI Awards at the Mobile World Congress, and achieving a place in the finals of the BBVA Awards for Innovation in Environmental Sustainability and the 4YFN Impact Awards. All in a year that has seen the return of major in-person events and the recovery of global mobility.

But the biggest news has undoubtedly been the agreement that sees Shotl join forces with Swvl, the Dubai-based mass transportation company. Going forward, Shotl will spearhead Swvl’s expansion into Europe and serve as its SaaS transportation solution for municipalities and public administrations, thus complementing Swvl's pre-scheduled dynamic routing and Transportation-as-a-Service (TaaS) offering and serving as the first end-to-end mobility solution.

Together, Swvl and Shotl aim to create a new dynamic transport network based on a collective ridership system that rivals the flexibility and convenience of private vehicles. The two companies share the joint vision of a future where inadequate transportation services are no longer a barrier to those who need to access employment, education, or healthcare.

There’s a bright future ahead of us and we plan to seize it with both hands.