BMW i Ventures Invests In Carpooling App Firm Scoop Technologies

A new strategic investment has been made in the carpooling app firm Scoop Technologies by BMW i Ventures, according to a new press release from BMW.

For those not familiar with the firm, here’s a bit of an explanation: it’s essentially an app-operated carpooling service somewhat along the lines of Uber or Lyft, but one that partners with various regional employers, office parks, government bodies, etc. It is more focused on actual carpooling than on the “taxi 2.0” industry.

The company — which operates in San Francisco, Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, and North San Jose — now counts Cisco, Tesla, Microsoft, Salesforce, Workday, Airbnb, and Sandisk as partners, amongst others.

The press release provides a bit more: “The Scoop app automatically connects co-workers and neighbors who live in the same neighborhood and travel to the same work area. Commuters select each trip one way at a time and choose whether to ride or drive. Scoop’s algorithm matches them to a carpool with neighbors and co-workers for the most efficient commute.”

“Scoop’s carpooling offer is a great help for urban traffic and parking problems in cities, but it also enables employers in finding and supporting sustainable transportation solutions for their employees. Through this investment, BMW Mobility Services and Scoop together could offer a practical carpooling solution to a problem facing cities, starting here in the US,” commented Ulrich Quay, Head of BMW i Ventures.

“Scoop’s mission is to reduce the impact that traffic has on our lives,” stated Rob Sadow, CEO of Scoop. “For most employees, driving to and from work is the most frustrating time of the day — it’s expensive, unproductive, and stressful. We’ve built an app that allows commuters to enjoy all the benefits of carpooling without the hassle. This financing will enable our team to bring Scoop to more commuters in our area and beyond.”

More information can be found here.