Blockchain Press Releases
ZEELO SECURES $14 MILLION IN SERIES A EXTENSION TO POWER US GROWTH AND NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
- Total equity investment reaches $34 million as Zeelo gears up to serve new US enterprise clients and launch new transportation technology features for bus operators
- Three new venture capital firms from Europe and North America complete the round which was led by FlatzHoffmann with additional participation from existing firms ETF Partners, InMotion Ventures and angel investors
- Co-founders Sam Ryan (CEO) and Barney Williams (CCO) relocate to Boston to scale team and accelerate US expansion
- Commitment to reach net-zero services by 2030, with nearly 10% of all UK Zeelo services already operating on battery electric vehicles
BOSTON, Aug. 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Zeelo, the global transit-tech company powering bus operators, employers and schools to provide highly efficient, sustainable and affordable private bus and shuttle transport programs, has secured $14 million in its latest Series A extension round from three new venture capital firms, including FlatzHoffmann, the European growth equity investor; IREON Ventures, the venture capital arm of Motor Oil Hellas; and a prominent Boston-based family office with a principal that recently took their Nasdaq listing private for $6 billion.
In an oversubscribed investment round led by FlatzHoffmann, with additional participation from angels and venture capital funds, Zeelo commits to accelerate and scale the team and operations and launch new technology products to serve US enterprise clients and operators for employee shuttle transportation needs for commutes across the East and West coasts.
Zeelo, which has live operations on three continents, is on a mission to accelerate expansion in the US, opening its second headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts. Co-founders Sam Ryan and Barney Williams have relocated to invest in scaling the team to meet increased demand, while fellow co-founder and CTO Dani Ruiz continues to build the engineering team in Europe to accelerate new product development. Zeelo has already secured contracts with Fidelity as well as two leading multi-site corporate enterprise clients, including the world’s leading e-commerce marketplace and a global shipping and logistics business. This sets the stage for rapid revenue growth at low capital expenditure in the world’s leading developed market. With a proven Transport-as-a-Service (TaaS) platform, Zeelo is well-positioned to capture significant market share and drive sustainable growth within the B2B bus commuting sector in developed markets. The combined US and UK mass transportation market is worth $40 billion.
“Developed markets are underserved for daily mass transportation needs and we have seen increased demand for our transit-tech solution in the United States over the past 12 months,” says Sam Ryan, Co-Founder and CEO at Zeelo. “Due to this demand, we’ve had a growing number of requests from shuttle operators to leverage our technology to improve their client relationships and streamline operations. This new capital will accelerate Zeelo’s expansion across the US for an accelerated rollout of large scale, multi-site transportation contracts, with some of North America’s biggest household brands, as well as further investment in our software offering.”
Zeelo addresses the evolving needs of B2B organizations – such as shift worker employers, office worker employers, schools and universities – providing customized transportation services for daily commutes to suburban and peri-urban areas that lack sufficient mass transit coverage. In addition, Zeelo’s platform offers relevant insights to its clients to plan their headcount, production capabilities, and staff punctuality to save clients on average of 12 hours per week in administrative tasks, increase bus ridership by 50% and enable 43% in cost savings per year, on average, for employee shuttle transportation.
“Our newly set up fund seeks to support technology companies with proven business models and a lasting environmental impact,” says Christopher Hoffmann, Partner at FlatzHoffmann. “We help them navigate the transition from Series A to growth and beyond. Zeelo is a unique and proven mobility player headquartered in Europe with a strong expansion push to the US. It combines a strong transit-tech platform with a clear sustainability mission. We are convinced of Zeelo’s experienced leadership team and their ability to innovate and execute. They have come very far in building their business, and we look forward to supporting their growth strategy for developed markets.”
FlatzHoffmann, which was established this year by Alois Flatz and Christopher Hoffmann, operates in Munich and Zurich with a pan-European reach. The fund targets companies at the later-stage growth phase from Series A onwards, with established customer use-cases, recurring revenues and sound unit economics. Both partners bring substantial investment and operational experience to the table. Alois Flatz was an early partner at Sustainable Asset Management (SAM), a partner at cleantech investor Zouk Capital and a Senior Advisor at Al Gore’s Generation Investment Management fund. Christopher Hoffmann is an operator-investor who was a growth equity investor at Zouk Capital and has a 10-year operational track record as CFO of growth companies, including a successful cleantech IPO in 2016 with va-Q-tec.
Zeelo also passes on CO2 emissions savings to its clients and has committed to transitioning all services to net-zero emissions battery-electric buses by 2030, with nearly 10% of Zeelo’s UK clients having already made the switch to electric buses for their commuter services. Meanwhile in 2022, Zeelo offset over 2,600 tons of CO2 emissions and created over 26,000 employment opportunities, with 70% of Zeelo riders admitting that they rely on the service to commute to work, and without which they would not have been able to accept their job.
Zeelo has an experienced, execution-focused and entrepreneurial management team. The co-founders previously built, led and successfully exited their first transit-tech business to Addison Lee.
For press inquiries, please contact Zeelo:
Sonia Afzal, Head of Communications
[email protected] | +44 (0)7950 467 773
Kathleen Osborne, Kamel PR
[email protected] | +001 607 434 2065
About Zeelo
Zeelo is a leading global transit-tech company powering bus operators, employers and schools to provide highly efficient, sustainable and affordable transportation programs. Zeelo provides software and managed services to its clients and partners to increase bus occupancy levels and reduce transportation costs, CO2 emissions and administrative time. Its secure and innovative transportation management software system comprises a SaaS platform, proprietary routing algorithm, mobile apps for riders and drivers, and 24/7 customer support (4.9 TrustPilot rating) ensuring poorly connected commuters have a regular, subsidized and sustainable bus service, wherever they are based. Headquartered in London with an R&D team in Spain and live operations in the UK, US and South Africa, Zeelo was founded in 2016 by Sam Ryan, Barney Williams and Dani Ruiz. The co-founders previously sold their pioneering ride-sharing app JumpIn to Addison Lee in 2014. Zeelo, your next stop. For more information, please visit www.zeelo.co
About FlatzHoffmann
FlatzHoffmann is a European growth equity investor that invests in environmental tech companies, supporting their transition from venture to growth. The fund backs experienced management teams that harness technology to drive progress and impact within our planetary boundaries. FlatzHoffmann invests across industrial technology, transportation & logistics, energy, sustainable materials and food & agriculture. The fund takes an active approach to partnering with portfolio companies, supporting commercial and organisational growth and leveraging its entrepreneurial ecosystem of fund investors. For more information, please visit www.flatzhoffmann.com
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Blockchain Press Releases
Bybit x Block Scholes Report: BTC Options Steady with Call-Put Parity, ETH Braces for Short-Term Volatility
DUBAI, UAE, Jan. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Bybit, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, has released its latest crypto derivatives analytics report in collaboration with Block Scholes. The report sheds light on key trends in open interest and market behavior during the significant year-end options expiration for Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH).
Key highlights:
Open Interest Solid Amid Year-End Options Expiration
Although open interest in BTC and ETH perpetual swaps has not returned to the early December 2024 highs, it remained stable during the critical year-end options expiration. This stability suggests that traders did not heavily rely on perpetual contracts to hedge the delta of expiring options, which contributed to the muted volatility observed during this period. Trading volumes dipped during the winter holiday season, aligning with a collapse in realized volatility, which reached its lowest levels of December.
BTC Option Curve Remains Steep During Call-Put Parity
Contrary to expectations, the expiration of December’s options did not spark a surge in volatility. Instead, realized volatility declined to the lower end of its recent range. The implied volatility term structure for BTC options remains steep, with longer-dated implied volatility hovering around 57% and 1-week at-the-money options trading approximately five points lower. Most of the expired open interest has not been reinvested, maintaining a neutral call-put balance. As a result, BTC’s options market shows limited leverage compared to its position at the beginning of December 2024, reflecting a cautious sentiment.
Huge ETH Option Expiring Doesn’t Cause Volatility
Despite the substantial expiration of ETH options in late December 2024, market dynamics remained stable. A spike in realized volatility during December failed to extend into the new year, with ETH’s spot price currently showing lower volatility compared to short-tenor implied volatility. Over the past week, the implied volatility term structure for ETH options has shifted, steepening briefly before flattening again, diverging from BTC’s consistently steep profile. This pattern suggests that ETH’s options market is bracing for potential short-term volatility in spot price movements.
Interestingly, despite the expiration, call options for ETH have gained momentum at the start of 2025, dominating the market and indicating an optimistic outlook among traders.
Access the Full Report:
Gain deeper insights and explore the potential impacts on your crypto trading strategies by downloading the full Bybit x Block Scholes Crypto Derivatives Analytics Report.
#Bybit / #TheCryptoArk / #BybitLearn / #BybitResearch / #BTC100K
About Bybit
Bybit is the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, serving a global community of over 60 million users. Founded in 2018, Bybit is redefining openness in the decentralized world by creating a simpler, open and equal ecosystem for everyone. With a strong focus on Web3, Bybit partners strategically with leading blockchain protocols to provide robust infrastructure and drive on-chain innovation. Renowned for its secure custody, diverse marketplaces, intuitive user experience, and advanced blockchain tools, Bybit bridges the gap between TradFi and DeFi, empowering builders, creators, and enthusiasts to unlock the full potential of Web3. Discover the future of decentralized finance at Bybit.com.
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Blockchain Press Releases
KuCoin Launches KuCoin Pay, a Merchant Solution Leading the Future of Crypto Payments
VICTORIA, Seychelles, Jan. 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — In a significant leap forward for digital commerce, KuCoin has unveiled KuCoin Pay, a pioneering merchant solution designed to catalyze business growth by integrating crypto payments into the retail sector. This innovative system bridges the gap between traditional retail and crypto, offering contactless and borderless transactions. Leveraging KuCoin’s robust infrastructure—trusted globally and serving over 37 million+ users – KuCoin Pay is poised to open new opportunities for merchants and users to thrive in the evolving digital economy.
KuCoin Pay is committed to reducing transaction fees and facilitating immediate settlement of crypto payments, simplifying the process for businesses to manage transactions efficiently. The platform supports an extensive range of cryptocurrencies and blockchain networks, significantly broadening the global reach of payments.
The process for merchants is straightforward: integrate KuCoin Pay into their payment systems, allowing customers to complete purchases through KuCoin by scanning a QR code or via the KuCoin app. This integration ensures a frictionless checkout experience, fostering greater consumer confidence and satisfaction.
Additionally, KuCoin Pay is integrated within the KuCoin app, enabling businesses to tap into KuCoin’s extensive user base while simplifying the buying process for everyday items for users. Daily requests such as gift cards and mobile top-ups can be done seamlessly, further promoting widespread crypto adoption.
KuCoin Pay represents a major milestone in driving the mainstream adoption of crypto and marks a pivotal step in KuCoin’s ongoing commitment to enriching the blockchain ecosystem. For more information on KuCoin Pay and how it can transform your business, please visit the KuCoin Pay website.
About KuCoin
Founded in 2017, KuCoin is one of the pioneering and most globally recognized technology platforms supporting digital economies, built on a robust foundation of cutting-edge blockchain infrastructure, liquidity solutions, and an exceptional user experience. With a connected user base exceeding 37 million worldwide, KuCoin offers comprehensive digital asset solutions across wallets, trading, wealth management, payments, research, ventures, and AI-powered bots. KuCoin has garnered accolades such as “Best Crypto Apps & Exchanges” by Forbes and has been recognized among the “Top 50 Global Unicorns” by Hurun in 2024. These recognitions reflect its commitment to user-centric principles and core values, which include integrity, accountability, collaboration, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.
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Blockchain Press Releases
KuCoin Advances the “Menstrual Equity Project”, Benefiting 4,000 Women in the Bahamas
NASSAU, Bahamas, Jan. 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — On December 31, 2024, the “Menstrual Equity Project” , jointly initiated by KuCoin, Global CSR Foundation, and the American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA), has made new progress. The second batch of aid supplies has been successfully shipped to the Bahamas, providing urgently needed sanitary products for 4,000 local women and effectively improving their quality of life.
The “Menstrual Equity Project” aims to offer sustainable menstrual hygiene solutions to marginalized women and girls, aligning with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As the oldest multi-specialty medical organization promoting women’s advancement in the medical field and improving women’s health, AMWA’s mission is in perfect alignment with KuCoin’s commitment to social responsibility.
With the support of the Office of the First Lady of Commonwealth of Bahamas H. E. Ann Marie Davis, this round of donated materials focuses on disposable menstrual pads. This decision reflects the local challenges of water scarcity and high washing costs, while also providing essential emergency supplies for women during natural disasters such as hurricanes and typhoons.
Since KuCoin made a firm commitment to social welfare initiatives during the “KuCoin Green Future Gala” at the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in 2023, the company has actively fulfilled its corporate social responsibilities. The “Menstrual Equity Project” has become a key initiative under this commitment.
In March 2024, the project’s first phase was implemented, distributing 1,000 menstrual kits—each containing 10 sanitary pads and 2 menstrual cups—to Suriname, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and domestic violence shelters in New York and California.
The smooth delivery of the second batch of supplies to the Bahamas will benefit 4,000 women.
Jing Zhao Cesarone，President of Global CSR Foundation, commented:”KuCoin has set a remarkable example in addressing period poverty in underserved regions, demonstrating its enthusiasm and dedication to social responsibility.”
Nancy Cheung, KuCoin’s Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO), emphasized:”As a global leader in the digital economy, KuCoin is committed to advancing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Looking ahead, we will continue to focus on key areas such as climate change, health, and education, driving more philanthropic initiatives to fruition. We also plan to expand the scope of the ‘Menstrual Equity Project,’ collaborating with more international organizations to improve women’s living conditions and contribute to global sustainable development.”
About KuCoin
Founded in 2017, KuCoin is one of the pioneering and most globally recognized technology platforms supporting digital economies, built on a robust foundation of cutting-edge blockchain infrastructure, liquidity solutions, and an exceptional user experience. With a connected user base exceeding 37 million worldwide, KuCoin offers comprehensive digital asset solutions across wallets, trading, wealth management, payments, research, ventures, and AI-powered bots. KuCoin has garnered accolades such as “Best Crypto Apps & Exchanges” by Forbes and has been recognized among the “Top 50 Global Unicorns” by Hurun in 2024. These recognitions reflect its commitment to user-centric principles and core values, which include integrity, accountability, collaboration, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.
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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/kucoin-advances-the-menstrual-equity-project-benefiting-4-000-women-in-the-bahamas-302341084.html
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