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The What, Why and How of China’s Bike-Sharing Industry
Article

The What, Why and How of China’s Bike-Sharing Industry

Medium, 2017

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Editorial Rating

9

Qualities

  • Analytical
  • Innovative
  • Applicable

Recommendation

China’s bike-sharing services entered the market at a time when congestion and pollution are spurring demand for better solutions for short-distance commutes. Eden Ding, an investment manager at Panda Capital, takes a look at the logic behind bike sharing from a Chinese investor’s point of view and offers useful background information on the emergence of the industry in China. getAbstract recommends this article to venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, shared-economy enthusiasts and people who enjoy biking to work.

Summary

Innovative bike-sharing services have recently become popular in China. The country’s leading bike-sharing company Mobike equips each bike in its fleet with GPS: Once registered, you open the Mobike app to locate the nearest bike and unlock its smart lock by scanning a QR code. When you’re done cycling, you lock the bike anywhere on the side of the road and the app will automatically charge you via a third-party mobile payment service, such as Tencent’s WeChat Wallet or Alibaba’s Alipay.

By the end of 2017, an estimated 20 million bicycles will be available for public use. Supply and demand factors explain why bike sharing’s popularity has soared. Consumers demand short-distance commute solutions. In Beijing, more than 900...

About the Author

Eden Ding is an investment manager at Panda Capital, a Chinese venture capital firm based in Shanghai. Panda Capital was the leading investor in Mobike’s series B funding.