1. Strategy
The Mayor has set out an ambition for the capital to be zero carbon by 2030, alongside a transport strategy to achieve 80% of journeys to be walking, cycling or public transport by 2041. With one of the largest, most efficient transport networks in the world – coupled with an integrated transport agency, Transport for London – the capital has become a leader in smart ticketing, contactless payments and open data.[1]
2. Access to capital
The UK and London are investing heavily in sustainable infrastructure. The government committed to invest £1.3bn to accelerate the rollout of charging infrastructure[2]; the Mayor of London set a record of £2.2bn to make London’s streets better for walking and cycling; and multiple cycle super highways and 130 regeneration projects across the city have been funded.[3]
London is also home to a range of venture capital firms investing in the mobility space, including InMotion Ventures, MMC Ventures, Northzone, Atomico and Index Ventures.
3. Talent
With more software developers than any other European city, a dense population of tech talent and an innovative mindset, London is a European hub for mobility.[4]
The city is also home to some of the world’s top universities and academic institutions which boast a range of dedicated research centres and programmes for mobility, including:
- Imperial College London’s Centre for Transport Studies and the Transport Systems and Logistics Laboratory
- The Royal College of Art’s Intelligent Mobility MA programme, which looks to the future of all forms of transportation design
- University College London’s MaaS lab which provides insight and guidance into mobility as a service plus four transport-related masters programmes
- Loughborough University’s London campus, the lead academic partner for Smart Mobility Living Lab, a London testbed for mobility solutions
4. Innovation and sustainability
London is embedding innovation and versatility at the core of its services. The Mayor’s commitment to making London a zero-carbon city by 2030 is driving the transition towards the decarbonisation of transport. This is evidenced by the installation of more than 6,000 electric vehicle charging points – 26% of the UK total – and the introduction of the Ultra Low Emission Zone, which sets even stricter emission standards for vehicles entering the central area of the city.[5]
Transport for London has a dedicated innovation department focused on improving the city’s mobility services and which often uses a challenge-led approach. One of its successful programmes is London RoadLab which aims to reduce the adverse impact of roadworks.[6]
5. Ecosystem
London is home to dedicated government bodies, accelerators and incubators, and industry initiatives that support mobility businesses to grow and thrive.
From Connected Places Catapult’s Intelligent Mobility Accelerator and Plexal’s innovation hub on Queen Elizabeth Park, to Smart Mobility Living Lab, the UK’s most advanced testbed for future transport technologies and services, London is the perfect testbed for mobility innovators.
See a snapshot of London's smart mobility scene
A public research university.
A postgraduate campus for Loughborough University.
One of the world's top postgraduate institutions of art and design.
UCL ranks in the top 10 universities in the world for 2021.
One of the most vibrant and diverse universities in London.
A European venture capital firm headquartered in London.
A corporate innovation and venture development firm.
A European venture capital firm with dual headquarters in San Francisco and London.
Investing in early stage founders in the mobility sector.
A venture capital fund investing in early stage, high-growth UK companies.
An early stage venture capital fund.
A subsidiary of SoftBank, Vision Fund invests $100m in growth stage leading companies.
A technology company which provides parking apps and services for drivers.
Delivering products and services worldwide to accelerate the move to zero emission transportation.
A platform to incentivise employees to make positive changes in travel, recycling and exercise.
The market leader in artificial intelligence software for micromobility operators globally.
Makes of electric scooters, reducing car usage, traffic and carbon emissions
Offering rentable e-bikes.
An award-winning fleet management platform that helps companies manage fleet and driver risk.
An online platform to buy or finance a used car and have it delivered to your door.
Complete, smart charging solutions including hardware, software, services and a mobile app.
A digitally inclusive data and mobility platform to benefit the disabled community.
An app for navigating cities.
An AI-based mobility tech company focused on helping easier rental car processing.
A B2B service offering data to help transform towns and cities.
A micro-mobility startup creating electric scooters and bikes.
Providing flexible car subscriptions.
Developing more energy-efficient, durable and sustainable tyres for electric vehicles.
An online platform which enables people to easily arrange shared journeys.
A platform for autonomous vehicle development and safety assurance.
An online car sharing service that allows drivers to rent cars from private car owners, and owners to rent out their cars.
The UK’s first technology-driven end-to-end transportation service provider for disabled, elderly people and non-emergency patients.
A peer-to-peer car sharing platform.
An AI company using human behaviour to create safer urban mobility ecosystems.
A platform for transportation insights and strategy testing.
A technology platform that matches drivers through parking spaces.
Revolutionising air mobility through jets, air taxis and a digital booking system.
An American transportation company that runs electric scooters, electric bikes, pedal bikes and car sharing systems in various cities around the world.
An app for vehicles for hire, bike-sharing system and food delivery.
A fare payments platform for public transport.
A specialist consultancy on smart mobility and transport in Europe.
A platform to discover shared shuttle and taxi solutions to complete your journey.
A rideshare company whose services include vehicle for hire and food delivery.
The future of traffic management, bringing official data from multiple agencies into a single, map-based interface.
Providing affordable and eco-friendly cars that empower drivers to provide for their families and improve our planet.
Real-time notifications from officials to help plan a journey.
A Group of design and technology businesses focused on innovation in the built environment.
A real-world connected environment for testing and developing future transport and mobility solutions.
A B2B mobility marketplace that connects services to consumers.
A global business consultancy specialising in cities, infrastructure and transport.
A bike subscription service.
An electric scooter ride-sharing company.
A vehicle-for-hire company that also licenses its technology to cities, transit agencies and private organisations.
Capturing real-time transport usage through machine learning.
Inclusive and accessible audio navigation to help empower vision impaired people to travel independently.
Creating AI software for self-driving cars.
Offering vehicles for hire, food delivery, package delivery, couriers and freight transportation.
A multinational engineering and infrastructure firm.
A design and consultancy firm for natural and built assets.
A global design, planning and engineering firm.
A global supplier of technology and services operating in the mobility solutions sector.
An oil and petrochemical company.
A global company that designs and sells a broad range of technologies.
A leading global developer of transport infrastructure.
An automotive and mobility company that develops, manufactures and distributes vehicles.
Developing and manufacturing microprocessors and digital technology platforms.
A provider of technical, consulting, and scientific services for the government and private sector.
Providing audit, tax and advisory services.
A financial services corporation providing transcation processing and payment-related products and services.
A technology company that develops and supports software, services and devices.
A global technology company focusing on electrification, automation and digitalisation.
A global provider of technology solutions in the aerospace and ground transportation markets.
A financial services company that facilitates electronic payment systems.
A British government innovation agency for the transport industry and autonomous vehicles.
An East London innovation centre and co-working space.
A seed accelerator and platform for investment and innovation.
An accelerator firm which focuses on technology startups.
A group of 96 cities around the world that have joined to deliver measurable action on climate change.
A government unit working with industry and academia to shape the safe and secure emergence of connected and self-driving vehicles in the UK.
Assisting community leaders in policies, strategies and projects in the urban innovation market.
A charity for the public benefit of shared cars, bikes, e-scooters and rides.
The government department for planning and investing in UK transport infrastructure.
The regional governance body of London.
The local government association for Greater London
The local government body for the transport system in Greater London.
Uniting industry, government and academia to drive the move to connected and self-driving vehicles.
A trade association dedicated to empowering the UK through technology.
A government team supporting the early market for ultra-low emission vehicles.
A mayoral development corporation for the Olympic Park and surrounding areas.
Use the filters in the map to discover the city's ecosystem.
