🚀 Closing in on Q1 2025—This Year is Flying By!
As we approach the final stretch of Q1, the pace of innovation, investment, and industry shifts has been nothing short of exhilarating. Time is moving fast, and so are the trends and opportunities.
Welcome to The Paddock, your go-to place for the latest insights and trends revolutionizing the mobility sector globally. 🚗
— Curated by Rodolfo, Enrique, Gastón, Cecy, Bernardo and Rodrigo: the Proeza Ventures team. 💪
📌 Do you know a startup reshaping mobility by being more efficient, safer and environmentally friendly? We want to meet them! 📩
🏁 Check our investment thesis and learn more about our Portfolio Co.
🪩 Proeza Ventures Spotlight
🚀 Welcome, Rodrigo, to the PV Team!
We’re excited to welcome Rodrigo Santos, our newest intern, as we continue expanding our team with young, passionate minds eager to drive change in the mobility space.
Rodrigo is an International Finance student at the University of Monterrey, bringing strong analytical thinking and problem-solving skills to the table. His motivation to learn and contribute aligns perfectly with our mission to shape the future of mobility, energy, and climate tech.
At PV, we believe in fostering fresh perspectives and bold ideas, and we’re eager to keep adding talented individuals who share our vision for impact.
🔥 Welcome aboard, Rodrigo!
🌍 Where We’ve Been & Where We’re Heading!
The past few weeks have been—and will continue to be—a whirlwind of mobility, climate tech, and venture capital events—and we’re just getting started! As we continue to engage with founders, investors, and industry leaders, we’d love to connect if you’re attending any of these. Reach out, and let’s meet! 📩
VC Latam Summit | Miami (26-27 Mar)
Our Managing Partner, Enrique Zambrano, joined this key gathering of LATAM & Miami’s VC ecosystems, bringing together GPs, LPs, and investors committed to driving innovation in the region.Caricaco Summit | Costa Rica (20-21 Mar)
Rodolfo Dieck is heading to this premier startup and investment event in Central America, connecting with founders and key ecosystem players working to scale the region’s entrepreneurial potential.GCVI Summit | Monterey, CA (18-20 Mar)
Our Associate, Gaston Eguren, was at the Global Corporate Venturing & Innovation Summit, engaging with CVCs, investors, and industry pioneers shaping the future of innovation.
The pace of innovation isn’t slowing down, and neither are we! If you’ll be at any of these events, let’s connect and discuss how we can collaborate.
🏆 Our PortCos News
🚀 Ridepanda Expands Enterprise Micromobility with JackRabbit!
Congratulations to Ridepanda for making sustainable, electric micromobility more accessible—now with JackRabbit on board! As more businesses seek practical, zero-emission transportation solutions, this partnership offers companies a seamless way to integrate micromobility into employee benefits, fleet solutions, and sustainability initiatives. With Ridepanda handling vetting, financing, and servicing, organizations can effortlessly provide employees with efficient, fun, and eco-friendly commuting options.
🔗 Learn more: here
🚛 Solvento is heading to The Logistics World 2025!
On April 2-3, Solvento will be at The Logistics World®, the leading event for logistics operators, shippers, and transportation experts. Visit them at Stand 1110 at Centro Citibanamex to see how they’re transforming the industry by optimizing payments, automating processes, and boosting operational profitability. If you're looking to streamline payment management and strengthen relationships with carriers, you should connect!
🔗 Register for free: here.
🌳 Congratulations to BusUp for Driving Impact Beyond Mobility!
Sustainability goes beyond efficient transportation—it’s about giving back to the planet. This year, BusUp has taken that commitment further by planting 400 trees in Pinhal de Leiria, Portugal, a region deeply affected by wildfires.
Partnering with GEOTA, Renature Leiria, and One Tree Planted, BusUp is not just moving people but also helping restore ecosystems. Each tree represents the clients, operators, and team members who make this impact possible.
👏 A huge congratulations to the BusUp team for supporting this meaningful cause!
⚡Joyride is Lighting Up Mobility with Neon IoT!
Joyride has taken a step into hardware with Neon IoT, a compact yet powerful black box that seamlessly integrates with its mobility software suite. No more fragmented fleet connectivity—Neon delivers 24/7 telematics, AI computing, and monetization tools in one streamlined solution. With a strong focus on the lightweight electric vehicle market, Joyride is unlocking new possibilities for vehicle makers and fleet managers. And the response speaks for itself—the first batch is already sold out!
Looking forward to seeing how this innovation transforms the connected vehicle space. 🔗 Check out Neon and get on the list for the next shipment here.
🚗 Powering the Future: Deftpower & Volue Team Up for Smarter EV Charging!
By joining forces, Deftpower and Volue are tackling key challenges in EV charging—improving network interoperability, optimizing pricing, and enhancing grid sustainability. This collaboration is a major step toward making smart charging the norm, not the exception—empowering EV drivers to charge cost-effectively while supporting a more resilient energy system. With Deftpower’s platform bridging the gap between stakeholders across Europe, this partnership is a testament to the power of innovation in accelerating electrification. Excited to see the impact of this initiative in Norway and beyond!
🔗 Check out the full article here
🔋 Powering the Future: How Smart Charging Solutions Like Rhythmos are Shaping the EV Revolution and Supporting Grid Stability
In the quest to reduce transportation emissions, shifting from combustion engine vehicles to electric cars is an essential first step. However, it’s becoming clear that the real impact on emissions and the power grid lies not just in owning an electric vehicle (EV), but in how and when it’s charged.
The location of charging plays a significant role in the environmental impact of EVs. Areas with abundant renewable energy, like solar-rich California or hydro-powered Washington, see a stark reduction in climate pollution when compared to regions still dependent on fossil fuels. But there’s another key factor—when to charge. By aligning EV charging with periods of peak renewable energy production, particularly in solar-heavy areas, EVs can reduce emissions even further. Unfortunately, charging right when people get home, typically in the evening, can exacerbate grid stress as solar energy tapers off and electricity demand spikes.
Enter Rhythmos.io, which brings a smart solution to this problem. Their software enables optimized charging by identifying the most efficient moments to charge EVs, significantly reducing strain on the grid. Recent research from Energy and Environmental Economics (E3) found that optimizing charging could slash costs for utilities by up to 60%. For example, in California, unmanaged charging costs utilities nearly $1,000 per EV, while optimized charging drops that cost to just $407.
The benefits of optimized charging are clear, not only financially but also for grid resilience. Avoiding overburdened transformers, which can be slow to replace due to shortages, is crucial as EV adoption continues to grow. Yet, the process requires seamless communication and trust between utilities and drivers. Utilities could inform drivers a day in advance about when to charge for maximum grid benefit. Some drivers might resist giving up control over when their EV charges, but pilot programs have shown that most users trust the system once they experience it.
Despite EV adoption still being relatively low, especially outside California, it’s clear that the future of charging needs to be smarter. With rising EV numbers, utilities are already taking action to prepare for this shift. Optimized charging, powered by Rhythmos, offers a promising way to manage growing demand and ensure a cleaner, more efficient grid, while still delivering the benefits of electric transportation.
In this era of electric vehicles, embracing smarter charging solutions is not just a nice-to-have—it’s a must-have for reducing emissions and strengthening the power grid for the future. For more details, you can read the full article here.
📯 Hot Deals
At Proeza VC we check many deals weekly. Here are the Top deals that caught our attention recently!
🚀 AiDEN Auto, a Calif.-based in-vehicle technology company, raised $4.2 million in seed funding. Nuri Venture Partners led the round and was joined by Tengro Ventures, Band of Angels, Mentors Fund, angel investors, and others. (19.Feb.2025)
🚀 Bingo Technologies, a US-based startup developing a swappable smart battery and end-to-end software platform raised $1.9 million round led by Trucks VC to accelerate adoption in USA and Europe. (21.Feb.2025)
🚀 Boxful, an El Salvador-based multi-carrier logistics platform optimizing eComm fulfillment and last-mile delivery across Central America raised $1.9 million led by Innogen Capital, Carao Ventures, Caricao Ventures and Angel Hub. (19.Feb.2025)
🚀 Cafler, a Barcelona-based marketplace platform designed to streamline services for car owners, has raised €10.5 million in a Series A funding round. The investment was led by Copec Wind Fund, based in San Francisco, with additional participation from Alumni Ventures AI Fund, Guil Mobility Ventures, and Plug and Play Supply Chain Fund. (24.Feb.2025)
🚀 QraGo, a Germany-based company provider of software solutions in the field of healthcare logistics and patient transport, raised €2.7M in Seed funding. The round was led by āltitude and MobilityFund and completed by existing investors including Segenia Capital and capacura. (12.Feb.2025)
🚀 Relay, a UK-based logistics e-commerce startup raised $35 million in a Series A led by Plural. (27.Feb.2025)
🚀 Vidyut, a Bangalore startup that allows customers to rent EV batteries and pay based on usage, raised a $2.5 million round. Flourish Ventures was the deal lead. The company has raised a total of $16.5 million. (12.Feb.2025)
🚀 VEMO, a Mexico-based electromobility startup, raised $64 million in debt financing from Beel Credit, Covalto Bank, Capital and Promecap. (11.Feb.2025)
🚀 Brick, a Brazilian Insurtech that offers insurance for fleets of car rental companies raised $0.8 million seed round led by Honey Island, Broom Ventures, Alessio Alionco and Joao del Valle. (27.Feb.2025)
🚀 Swap, an e-commerce operating system (OS) that connects operations on one platform for e-commerce brands announced a $40 million Series B led by ICONIQ Growth, with participation from prior lead investors Cherry Ventures, QED Investors, and 9900 Capital (04.Mar.2025)
🚀 Installer, an Oslo-based startup that uses AI to streamline the installation and maintenance of renewable technologies such as electric vehicle chargers, solar panels, and heat pumps across Europe, raised a $4 million seed round led by Brighteye Ventures and supported by PT1, Futurum, and Sondo. (04.Mar.2025)
🚀 Moonwatt, an Amsterdam startup that is developing advanced energy storage systems using sodium-ion battery technology, raised an $8.4 million seed round co-led by Daphni and LEA Partners, with Founders Future, Ventech, and Kima Ventures also anteing up. (03.Mar.2025)
🚀 Circuit, a US-based short-trip electric shuttle solutions startup raised $17 millionas part of a Series B round led by MBK with participation from existing investors Tribeca Venture Partners, Impact Engine and others. (13.Feb.2025)
🚀 CaPow, an Israel-based developer of a power delivery system for robotic fleets, raised $15 million in Series A funding. Toyota Ventures led the round and was joined by Elements VC and existing investors IL Ventures, Payton Planar Magnetics LTD., Mobilion, Doral Energy-Tech, and others. (05.Mar.2025)
🚀 Glimpse, a Somerville, Mass.-based developer of battery quality technology, raised $10 million in Series A funding. TDK Ventures led the round and was joined by Ibex Mobility and Flybridge Capital Partners. (06.Mar.2025)
🚀 InsureVision, a UK startup that uses AI to analyze video from vehicle-mounted cameras, aiming to predict and prevent car accidents, raised a $2.7 million seed round. Rethink Ventures, Twin Path Ventures, and State Farm Ventures invested in the deal. (07.Mar.2025)
🚀 Dexterity, a Redwood City, CA, that develops industrial robots capable of tasks such as picking, packing, and palletizing, raised a $95 million round at a post-money valuation of $1.65 billion. Lightspeed Venture Partners and Sumitomo invested in the deal. The company has raised a total of approximately $300 million. (11.Mar.2025)
🚀 Applied Intuition, a Mountain View, CA company that provides tools and infrastructure to assist in the development, testing, and deployment of autonomous vehicles across various industries, including automotive, trucking, defense, construction, agriculture, and mining, is reportedly in the market to raise a multi-hundred million round at a $15 billion valuation. (11.Mar.2025)
🚀 Carpool Logistics, an Atlanta, GA-based provider of a vehicle logistics platform, raised $12M in Series A funding. The round was led by Wavecrest Growth Partners, with participation from CarMax, Impel founders Devin Daly and Michael Quigley, as well as automotive industry veteran David Metter. (12.Mar.2025)
🚀 Nirvana, a US-based insurance platform that uses real-time driving telematics and 20 billion miles of truck driving data to build and manage insurance policies for truckers, raised $80 million in a Series C round of funding led by General Catalyst. Lightspeed Venture Partners and Valor Equity Partners also participated. The investment values Nirvana at $830 million post-money. (10.Mar.2025)
🚀 Dance, an electric mobility subscription service operating in Paris, Berlin, Hamburg, and Munich, offering eBikes and mopeds with repair, theft protection, and concierge support secured $13 million in funding from Elemental and Smart Lender Asset Management. (12.Mar.2025)
🚀 Anyware Robotics, a Fremont, CA-based multi-purpose mobile robotics equipped with embodied intelligence, announced today it has secured $12 million in seed funding. The round is led by GFT Ventures, with participation from Foothill Ventures, Black Forest Ventures, Alumni Ventures, and other investors. (13.Mar.2025)
🚀 Buser, a Brazilian bus ticketing platform raised $4.8 million in a media for equity round with 4equity - Media Ventures to expand its market presence and strengthen brand visibility. The deal, the largest ever for 4Equity, will fuel Buser’s marketing and communication efforts while maintaining its growth momentum into 2025. (26.Feb.2025)
📗 Interesting Reads
🇲🇽 Inauguration of the Patrick J. Ottensmeyer International Rail Bridge
A $100 million rail bridge, named the Patrick J. Ottensmeyer International Rail Bridge, has been inaugurated, enhancing trade connectivity between Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Located at Los Dos Laredos, the bridge incorporates advanced technology to boost cargo mobility across North America. This infrastructure is expected to facilitate a smoother flow of nearly half of the rail cargo between Mexico and the U.S., reinforcing economic competitiveness in the region.
👉 Check the full note here.
🇨🇳 China's Ambitious Flying Car Initiative
China is set to revolutionize urban mobility with plans to introduce 100,000 flying cars (eVTOLs) within the next six years. These electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles will serve as personal transport, air taxis, and cargo delivery solutions, with commercial production expected by 2026. The market is projected to reach 3 trillion RMB ($420 billion USD) by 2030, driven by companies like EHang and XPeng AeroHT, which are already testing autonomous air taxi services. While challenges like regulation and infrastructure remain, China’s push for flying cars signals a major shift in how we think about future transportation.
👉 Check out the full article here.
📆 Where to find us next?
👉 GCVI Summit - Monterey, CA 18-20 Mar
👉 Caricaco Summit - Costa Rica, 20-21 Mar
👉 VC Latam Summit - Miami, US 26-27 Mar
Will you be there? Let us know!
🌱 Opportunities in Mobility
▶️ There are countless ways to improve a more efficient and sustainable mobility landscape. Here we found some you might like:
👩🏻💻Marketing and Growth Manager- Solvento
👩🏻💻Electrical Construction Manager - Electric Era
👩🏻💻Senior Account Executive - Electric Era
👩🏻💻Senior Embedded software Engineer - Electric Era
👩🏻💻EV charging development program Manager- Electric Era
👩🏻💻Junior Sales Development Representative - BusUp
👩🏻💻Providers Executive - BusUp
👩🏻💻Field Service Technician - Xos
👩🏻💻Staff Software Engineer - Ridepanda
👩🏻💻Bicycle Mechanic - Ridepanda
👩🏻💻Head of Engineering - Ridepanda
👩🏻💻Operations Manager - Ridepanda
👩🏻💻Account Executive - Ridepanda
That's it for this month!
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