Lime operates a large-scale electric scooter rental platform enabling users to locate, unlock, and ride e-scooters via a mobile app. The company focuses on affordable, sustainable urban mobility and integrates safety features such as damage sensors, anti-theft systems, and dual kickstands. Lime’s app provides flexible payments and ride-tracking tools, while its fleet supports last-mile transportation in major global cities. As one of the pioneers in micro-mobility, Lime reshaped short-distance travel with convenient, environmentally friendly mobility solutions.
What Is Lime and What Does It Do?
Lime, founded in 2017 by Toby Sun, Brad Bao, Charlie Gao, and Adam Zhang, is a San Francisco–based app-based electric kick-scooter rental platform.
The platform allows users to find nearby scooters, unlock them via QR code, and complete rides with flexible payment options.
Lime employs 386 employees as of December 2018 and using a combination of hardware innovation and app-based mobility management, Lime delivers an efficient, eco-friendly solution for last-mile transportation in cities worldwide.
How Much Funding Has Lime Raised?
1. Series D
- Amount Raised: $310M
- Lead Investors: Bain Capital Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, Fidelity Ventures, Google Ventures, IVP
- Motivation: To accelerate global expansion, strengthen hardware technology, and scale fleet operations.
2. Conventional Debt
- Amount Raised: $105M
- Lead Investors: UBS
- Motivation: To support working capital and operational infrastructure.
3. Series D
- Amount Raised: $418M
- Lead Investors: ADFD, Highbridge, Fidelity Investments, Uber
- Motivation: To increase fleet inventory and expand into new international markets.
Total Funding Raised: $1.71B
Current Valuation: $1.21B – $2.06B
Latest Funding Date: 2022 (Series D)
Key Investors
1. Andreessen Horowitz (a16z)
- Details: A leading Silicon Valley VC firm investing across consumer and enterprise tech.
- Investment Focus Areas: Mobility, marketplaces, fintech, SaaS.
- Notable Investments: Airbnb, Lyft, Coinbase.
2. Bain Capital Ventures
- Details: A global investor backing category-defining companies across industries.
- Investment Focus Areas: Mobility, SaaS, logistics, financial services.
- Notable Investments: LinkedIn, Docker, Flywire.
3. Fidelity Investments
- Details: A global financial services corporation with extensive private-market investments.
- Investment Focus Areas: Technology, consumer, fintech.
- Notable Investments: Uber, Bird, SpaceX.
4. Google Ventures (GV)
- Details: Alphabet’s venture arm investing in high-impact technology companies.
- Investment Focus Areas: AI, mobility, health, enterprise tech.
- Notable Investments: Uber, Slack, Medium.
5. IVP
- Details: A growth-stage VC firm backing high-growth consumer and enterprise companies.
- Investment Focus Areas: Consumer internet, software, mobility.
- Notable Investments: Twitter, Snapchat, Coinbase.
Where Is Lime’s Headquarters?
Lime is headquartered in San Francisco, California, a hub for mobility innovation, giving it access to engineering talent, investors, and transportation research ecosystems.
What’s Next for Lime?
Lime is positioned to expand further into global markets, focusing on long-term profitability and fleet optimization. With strong investor backing and growing demand for eco-friendly mobility, Lime aims to increase operational efficiency, introduce more durable scooter hardware, and collaborate with cities to improve last-mile accessibility.
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