Shotl

Shotl is a mobility platform that provides technology for on-demand shuttle and bus services, operating as a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) business. The company was founded in Barcelona, Spain in 2012 by brothers Gerard Martret and Osvald Martret. The founders, who have a family background in the transportation industry, previously founded a chauffeur services company called Drivania and later created a startup incubator, Caminalab, where the technology for Shotl was developed. The platform was officially founded as a separate company in 2017.

Shotl's core product is a technology platform that includes a passenger app for booking rides, a driver app for dynamic routing, and a management module for fleet operators. It enables transport operators, municipalities, and corporations to replace inefficient, low-ridership fixed routes with a flexible, on-demand service. The system's algorithms match multiple passengers heading in similar directions into a single vehicle, such as a minibus or van, optimizing routes in real-time to reduce wait times and vehicle mileage. The service is designed to address transportation gaps in low-density areas like suburbs, small towns, and business parks, improving first- and last-mile connectivity. The business model involves licensing its software to transport partners rather than owning or operating vehicles directly. Revenue was generated through a setup fee and a price per vehicle.

In August 2021, Shotl was acquired by Swvl, a Dubai-based provider of mass transit and shared mobility solutions. The acquisition was part of Swvl's strategy to expand into the European, Latin American, and APAC markets, accelerating its entry into Europe by a year. At the time of the acquisition, Shotl was present in 22 cities across 10 countries and had over 350,000 bookings. The deal allowed Shotl to leverage Swvl's technology to further optimize routes and vehicle occupancy while giving Swvl access to Shotl's B2G relationships and a platform for potential autonomous driving projects.

Keywords: on-demand transport, mobility as a service, MaaS, ride-pooling, dynamic routing, public transport software, smart mobility, shuttle service, mass transit technology, first-mile last-mile, shared mobility, fleet management, urban mobility, demand-responsive transport