Jaguar Land Rover backed 4 UK start-ups in 2017 to “change the way we move”

InMotion Ventures – the venture capital arm of Jaguar Land Rover – completed 11 investments into mobility start-ups during 2017, with four going to UK-based businesses.

Joined by six other start-ups from the US and Hong Kong, the four UK successful companies were:

• By Miles – (formerly Just Miles) a pay-per-mile car insurance app where customers sign up for a fixed monthly subscription and pay on a flexible per journey basis
• Dovu – a global Application Programming Interface (API) for the transport ecosystem aiming to make transport data more accessible and easier to use.
• Wluper – a personal navigation and transportation assistant, which can answer questions and provide location-based services through an instant messaging interface or conversational voice
• Zeelo – a “pop-up” coach service that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to predict demand and identify routes.

While the US and Hong Kong contingent included Lyft, Cove, Go Kid, Sheprd, Splt, Synaptiv and Validated.

The four UK businesses originally beat competition from over 200 applicants to join the InMotion Accelerator six-month accelerator programme, and spent six months working at InMotion’s HQ in London.

Launched in April 2017, the London-based accelerator invests in seed to Series B stage firms developing mobility products and services and provides a range of business support.

Sebastian Peck, managing director at InMotion Ventures, said:

“This year has been a tremendous year for mobility and transport. A new crop of mobility companies has emerged that will provide consumers with even more choice to move from A to B. We completed 11 investments in less than 12 months.

“The pace of our investment activity reflects the overall dynamic of the sector. Our team of investment professionals has put InMotion firmly on the map this year, and we look forward to the opportunities 2018 brings.”