In a significant development in the electric mobility sector, Superpedestrian, a once-prominent name in the e-scooter industry, is set to auction over 20,000 e-scooters. This move comes in the wake of the company ceasing its operations in the United States as of December 31.
Unprecedented E-Scooter Auction by Superpedestrian
Scheduled for later this month, this massive auction will not only include e-scooters but also various other assets from Superpedestrian’s U.S. ventures. The sale is being facilitated by Silicon Valley Disposition, renowned for handling surplus assets in the tech world. Enthusiasts and investors can expect to find a range of items from Superpedestrian’s operational cities, including tech hubs like Seattle, Los Angeles, and New York City.
A Two-Part Auction Event
Mark your calendars for January 23rd, as that’s when the first segment of this global online auction kicks off, continuing for three days. Following this, a second auction phase is slated for January 29th to January 31st, presenting another opportunity for participants to acquire a piece of e-mobility history.
The Rise and Fall of Superpedestrian
Superpedestrian entered the shared scooter market, known as Link, back in 2020. This move was catalyzed by its acquisition of a major portion of Zagster’s assets, a Boston-based company, during a period of intense consolidation triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite a substantial funding round of $125 million less than two years prior, 2023 proved financially challenging for Superpedestrian. Its operations spanned numerous global cities, but the firm faced hurdles in maintaining financial viability.
The Final Days of Superpedestrian
Reports, including one from TechCrunch last month, hinted at possible fresh funding or a merger as recently as November. However, these negotiations did not materialize. The closure of Superpedestrian’s operations occurred just before another industry giant, Bird, declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Employees were informed on December 15th about the shutdown of U.S. operations and the potential sale of European assets. The fate of the European division remains uncertain, with CEO Assaf Biderman unavailable for comment. Employees during the last two weeks were engaged in retrieving scooters from various cities, a task completed just as the company shuttered its doors on the last day of the year.
