In 2018, two friends from Latvia, Arturs Burņins and Artūrs Ņikiforovs, started an e-scooter rental business. They weren’t just hopping on the booming shared mobility trend – they were learning everything they could about the challenges of running such a business. Little did they know that this small experiment would create a global platform that is used in 46 countries today.
At first, they focused on offering scooter rentals themselves, but by 2021, they had a lightbulb moment: instead of running a rental business, they could build something even bigger, something that could scale – a platform to help other businesses launch shared mobility services quickly and affordably. With that pivot, [ATOM Mobility](https://www.atommobility.com/) was born as a software company.
From a startup to a well-known platform
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Getting started wasn’t easy. The first boost came when they won the Latvian entrepreneurship contest “Atspēriens,” earning a €10,000 grant to fuel their idea. They then raised a further €50,000 from an early investor who believed in their vision.
With this funding they could get to building out a platform that was fast, flexible, and could work for all kinds of shared vehicles from scooters and golf carts to boats and taxis.
Since they made the switch from rentals to software, ATOM Mobility has grown significantly. Their platform has powered more than 250 mobility projects, processed over 30 million rides, and continues to support businesses across the globe.
What’s it about?
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In a world where urban transport is shifting rapidly towards sustainable and shared solutions, ATOM’s platform stands out by providing businesses with tools to build services tailored to their unique markets. It’s a modular platform, so can work just as well for a scooter rental service in Freiburg or a fleet of electric cars in Dubai. ATOM’s platform handles the heavy lifting, including user management, payment processing, and vehicle tracking, allowing operators to focus on growth.
Challenges and growth
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Building ATOM Mobility was not a smooth ride. Finding the right team and getting more funding were big challenges early on, but the company has achieved significant growth with their revenue climbing to over €1 million by 2021. Their efforts have also earned them recognition, with the company being named the “Rising Star in Export” by Latvia’s Export Association in 2021.
As they have grown, the company has also launched its own accelerator program to embed itself within Latvia’s thriving startup community, with those accepted offered free access to ATOM’s platform.
However, their growth has not been limited to the Baltic states or even Europe, with ATOM Mobility now providing the technological backbone for more than 250 projects across 67 countries with more than 30 million rides processed.
The future of ATOM Mobility
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Looking ahead, ATOM Mobility plans to keep growing internationally by improving their platform and working with innovative companies to give the public smarter and more sustainable ways to get around.
Co-founder Artūrs Burņins sums up their journey:
> “There were times when it felt impossible, but we never gave up. The key is to keep moving forward, even when the road isn’t clear.”
From a small rental business in Latvia to a platform empowering businesses worldwide, they’ve shown that big things can come from humble beginnings—[ATOM Mobility](https://www.atommobility.com/) are just getting started.