Populus AI Secures New Funding Amidst Delivery Boom

The initial surge in popularity of shared electric scooters provided a foundation for Populus AI's emergence. Currently, the escalating demand for delivery services – and the resulting strain on available curb space – is proving instrumental in attracting further investment and facilitating the startup’s expansion into additional urban centers.

Series of Investments

Populus, a San Francisco-based company established in 2017, has successfully secured $5 million in funding. This investment comes from Storm Ventures and Magna, a contract manufacturing and supplier organization, alongside existing investors Precursor, Relay Ventures and Ulu Ventures. To date, the company’s total funding approaches $9 million.

Expansion Plans

The newly acquired capital will be allocated towards expanding Populus’ reach to a greater number of cities. The company anticipates growth will be propelled by the increasing need for effective street and curb management solutions.

Currently, Populus maintains contracts with over 80 cities, including Oakland, San Diego, and Tel Aviv, and collaborates with more than 25 micromobility operators. Regina Clewlow, co-founder and CEO, stated the company’s objective is to triple its city partnerships within the next 18 months.

The Populus Platform

Populus operates as a software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider, functioning as a bidirectional data exchange. The platform collects data from fleets of shared e-bikes, scooters, mopeds, and car-sharing services.

This information is then delivered to cities, enabling urban planners and regulators to gain insights into street and curb usage patterns. Cities can also leverage the Populus API to disseminate local traffic regulations – such as restrictions on motorized vehicles, designated scooter parking zones, and bike lane details – to mapping applications and other relevant third parties.

Industry Recognition

“The past few years have witnessed substantial growth in venture-backed companies offering software solutions to cities, particularly as transportation systems become increasingly connected and automated,” noted Frederik Groce, a partner at Storm Ventures and founder of BLCK VC. “Populus is uniquely positioned as the leading provider to support cities in their digital transformation efforts.”

New Features and Growth Drivers

Last year, Populus introduced a street manager feature, allowing cities to communicate evolving policies like slow streets or shared streets prioritizing pedestrians and cyclists, designated outdoor dining areas, and construction-related closures.

The curb management feature, also launched last year, is projected to be the primary catalyst for growth in 2021, according to Clewlow.

Cities can utilize this data to implement dynamic pricing for curb space, for instance.

Focus on Commercial Fleet Management

“The primary application cities envision for our digital technology is the management of commercial fleets, including delivery services,” Clewlow explained. She emphasized that curb space is currently utilized by both scheduled and on-demand vehicles.

However, these areas were not originally designed to accommodate the current volume of deliveries.

“Cities are experiencing a continued surge in delivery services, a trend that began before COVID-19 and was significantly accelerated by the pandemic,” Clewlow added. “A significant challenge for cities is effectively managing the utilization of this space by commercial delivery vehicles.”