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urban.MASS
Sector: Urban Mobility
Urban.MASS is a tech mobility company specialising in the design and development of innovative zero-emission mass transit mobility solutions.
The company is developing Floc® – electrically powered driverless Pods, which can run cantilevered on Duo Rail® – an elevated track. With Floc® Duo Rail®, Urban.MASS aims to provide cities with a cost-effective, sustainable, and driverless on-demand system that meets the requirements of a zero-carbon and clean air future while also supporting a new era of urbanisation.
You can visit their website or request a meeting with the team here.
Highlights
This round has a £400,000 funding target, on a pre-money valuation of £9,000,000
- Urban.MASS has discovered that it has a potential TAM of 544 open projects in 213 cities across 41 countries, which could potentially amount to $814bn
- Urban.MASS has two ongoing proposed projects in Saudi Arabia and Dubai
- Urban.MASS has filed multiple patent applications, with further patents in development
- According to a 2021 analysis led by Oxford University, at least 240 cities globally have set net-zero or carbon-neutral targets for 2050 or sooner
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Type: Single Company
Total raised in prior rounds: n/a
Sector: Urban Mobility
Minimum: £2,500
Funds Sought: £400,000
Deadline: n/a
The Problem
Cities and their surrounding areas need good transportation. Urban.MASS believe that for most cities, the capital cost and disruption due to construction are the main prohibitive factors that prevent them from being able to improve transportation systems that may be decades or centuries old. According to a 2021 analysis led by Oxford University, at least 240 cities globally have set net-zero or carbon-neutral targets for 2050 or sooner. According to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, 2023 is expected to be the hottest year ever recorded.
The planet is facing a climate crisis, and Urban.MASS believe there is growing pressure across the world to address these issues related to the mobility and transportation industry. Despite this commitment, Urban.MASS has identified that many cities are still struggling to combat transportation-related pollution due to the scarcity and affordability of affordable and convenient alternatives. Urban.MASS have identified that cities who are planning to improve local public transport face several unsatisfactory options. This includes buses that clog busy streets, trams that reduce traffic but are far more costly, and off-road solutions such as light or heavy rail that are hugely capital intensive and disruptive to build. They believe this issue contributes significantly to the climate emergency, undermining efforts to decarbonise and achieve net zero targets.
According to the World Bank, cities account for over 70% of global CO₂ emissions, most of which come from industrial and motorised transport systems that use huge quantities of fossil fuels and rely on far-flung infrastructure constructed with carbon-intensive materials. Urban.MASS believe that this highlights the urgent need for innovative, sustainable, and affordable mass transit solutions for cities to remain connected and appealing.
![urbanMass pods](https://www.kemenycapital.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/urbanMass-pods.png)
The Solution
Urban.MASS is developing Floc® Duo Rail®, a revolutionary transportation system that they believe will drastically reduce cost, potential delay, and enable increased public private and governmental acceptance of the project. Urban.MASS believe they have designed the system to have capability to be rapidly deployed via installation rather than construction.
The solution’s driverless carriages and smart tracks will work hand-in-glove to provide what Urban.MASS believe is a game-changing new mass public transport and urban logistics system that will improve quality of life and deliver a healthier and more sustainable future for all. In the future, Floc-pod platoons may also deploy Floc-cargo specific pods for goods delivery and waste removal or entirely separate cargo / logistics / delivery platoons that may be deployed during periods of lower passenger demand.
According to internal research Urban.MASS believe that, Floc® Duo Rail® will emit less than half the CO₂ of any competitive urban off-road alternative. The company also estimates that with Floc® Duo Rail®, cities could benefit from up to:
• 50%-70% emissions savings on manufacturing and construction due to its unique track design, which requires minimal materials and earthworks
• 30%-50% emissions savings on operation due to its renewable off-grid capability via solar energy canopy and platoon size that can be matched to demand
• 20-50% emissions savings by attracting riders from their personal cars
![Floc urbanmass](https://www.kemenycapital.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Floc-urbanmass.png)
How it works
Urban.MASS believe their Floc® Duo Rail® lines will be able to be installed quickly because of their light infrastructure, which uses far less concrete and steel than traditional light rail. The transit system utilizes smart driverless Pods that will be able to match capacity to demand, reducing unnecessary energy consumption. Their platoons will also be able to be divided into shorter lengths to serve outlying suburbs, allowing for high frequency service throughout the Duo Rail network. According to Urban.MASS, solar panels are expected to provide a large portion of the energy required for its operation. The exact amount will depend on locations of specific projects.
Urban.MASS believe they have designed Floc® Duo Rail® so their systems will be able to be scaled from a small local link to a city-wide network. This means that a system can be expanded as needs grow and budgets permit and if necessary, the elevated track section of the Duo Rail can be relocated. Urban.MASS claim that they have developed Floc® Duo Rail® to be able to be installed in an elevated building interface, over water, through tunnels, or on the ground/roads. Floc® Duo Rail® stations will be scaled to meet rider demand, ranging from small areas like bus stops to large city-centre interchanges. The platform lengths will not have to match platoon lengths because platoons will be able to be split up as needed when entering and exiting a station. Urban.MASS believe they have established a low-risk business model. The company will charge technology and system design fees, pod royalty, and technology license fees.
The Market
According to a 2023 independent analysis conducted by SMG Consulting on behalf of Urban.MASS, the global market for new and replacement metros, light rail and very light rail systems and Bus Rapid Transit remains strong as cities seek to decarbonise urban transport and improve city connectivity. Based on this analysis, Urban.MASS has discovered that it has a potential TAM of 544 open projects in 213 cities across 41 countries, which could potentially amount to $814bn. Focusing globally, Urban.MASS’ target projects are point-to-point networks suitable for smaller estates such as tourist destinations, airports, or property developments, as well as simple and complex networks suitable for larger estates, towns, and cities.The company will initially focus on the Middle East, Europe and North America. As of November 2023, Urban.MASS competitive environment includes transit systems such as light rail, tram, monorail, and Bus Rapid Transit.
Traction
Urban.MASS was incorporated in 2020. As of November 2023, Urban.MASS has two ongoing proposed projects in Saudi Arabia and Dubai which are at the proposal stage. The company also has agreements in place with several globally recognised strategic partners, including Lotus Cars, Fleetonomy.ai, Grimshaw Architects, and WSP. Urban.MASS has filed multiple patent applications, with further patents in development. According to the company’s 2025 to 2040 projections, Urban.MASS will have a total of 135 projects, initially in the Middle East, Europe, and North America.
The company has also forecasted a positive EBITDA by 2025 and a positive cumulative EBITDA by 2026, with further estimates reaching approximately £350m by 2030 and £1.5bn by 2040. Please note that forecasts are not a reliable indicator of future performance. Please note that Urban.MASS has entered in advance subscription agreements (ASAs) totaling £250,000 which will convert into ordinary shares concurrently with closing this investment round. These ASAs are reflected in the fundraise progress bar. Note as of 28/03/24: Fundraise longstop date has changed as is reflected on the termsheet available. Per the Floww Markets Terms of Business this has been deemed a material change.
Team
Ricky Sandhu – Co-founder & Chairman
Apart from Urban.MASS, Rick is the founder and executive chairman of Urban-Air Port, the founder and CEO of Six Miles Across London and Urban AV Ltd, and a design and technology mentor at MIT designX. He previously worked at Norman Foster Foundation, Arup, Foster + Partners, and Gensler. Ricky holds a master’s degree in architecture from the Bartlett School of Architecture at University College London, during which he also spent a semester at the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc).
John Emanuel – Co-founder & CTO
John has over 40 years of international experience in innovative technology in the engineering and transport sectors. He is the former chairman of Pax Technology and Pax Consultants. In addition, for many years he held the position of Chairman of the Institute of International Licensing Practitioners. John holds a bachelor’s degree in natural sciences from Cambridge University.
Kevin O’ Grady – CEO
Kevin has over 30 years of international experience in commercial management of transportation portfolios, programmes, and projects. His experience includes managing the full suite of commercial activities and procurement strategies on major construction and delivery projects. Kevin previously worked at Arup, Turner & Townsend, and EC Harris, among others.
Fiona Waters – CFO
Fiona has over 25 years of experience in financial, economic and business consultancy and worked on numerous city economic planning and infrastructure investment projects. She previously worked at Water Economics, PwC Hong Kong, and ICF Consulting Services.
Fees and Charges
Kemeny Capital will not charge you any direct fee for investing in the company. By investing through Kemeny Capital, you save a typical 2% investment fee charged by Floww. Kemeny Capital receives a fee from the company based on a percentage of the investment you make.
Risks
As with all offers found on Kemeny Capital’s website, this offer is exclusively aimed at UK resident persons who are required to self-certify as either a Sophisticated Investor or High Net Worth Individual.
The value of investments may go up as well as down and there is no guarantee of any investment return. Investments in private companies carry significant risks including loss of capital, illiquidity, and no guarantee of regular income from the investment. You should understand the risks involved and be capable of making investment decisions based upon your personal circumstances. Past Performance is not an indicator of future performance.
This page was approved by Kemeny Capital
This page was approved by Kemeny Capital as a financial promotion 11th June 2024.