The seasoned finance pro joins as the company shows consumer interest in new micromobility models across Europe
BERLIN – Jan. 25, 2022 – Dance, the ebike subscription company dedicated to making sustainable transportation simple and convenient, today announced that Tobias Jordan is joining the executive team as chief financial officer in a new role for the micromobility startup. This milestone follows launching a pilot in Hamburg, Germany in December 2021 and after the service’s launch in Berlin in September 2021.
Jordan comes to Dance with more than 20 years of experience in international investment banking from various roles at Credit Suisse, including most recently serving as the finance firm’s EMEA head of technology-enabled services banking. Previously, he spent 14 years in the U.S. where he was responsible for internet investment banking. During his tenure, he advised high-growth technology companies that developed into multibillion dollar, market-leading players in the private and public market.
Growing the movement
“We’re a startup with global ambitions, and welcoming an executive team member with two decades of financial experience around the world with technology companies is great as we prepare for expansion in 2022 and beyond,” said Eric Quidenus-Wahlforss, CEO and cofounder of Dance. “Tobias comes to Dance with a builder’s mindset, and I’m pleased to welcome him to our mission of creating cleaner, more sustainable cities,” Quidenus-Wahlforss added.
“I am looking forward to establishing and scaling Dance’s finance function to enable the company’s growth,” said Tobias Jordan, Dance’s newly appointed chief financial officer. “In university, I worked as a bike mechanic for a cycling tour operator and since then, have had a lifelong passion for cycling. By making it easier for more people to choose an ebike for their daily mobility needs, we can make cities better places to live – and as a team we can make that vision a reality,” Jordan noted.
Ebikes’s growing popularity paired with consumer hesitation about traditional ownership
Jordan joins the company as more consumers look to alternate transportation options as the global pandemic continues to change our society; 40 percent of Europeans have noted they want to try an ebike due to COVID-19.
In addition, in a survey* conducted by Dance and Wakefield Research in four major European countries, consumers recognize the benefits of ebike usage – and burgeoning interest in a subscription option in contrast to traditional ownership or rental:
- 71 percent want to move to a commuting option that allows them to have a healthier lifestyle like using an ebike, but 61 percent wished the process of buying a bicycle was easier
- 41 percent of current bike owners expressed concern about the cost of ownership beyond the initial purchase price; 86 percent noted they have had to make unexpected payments to maintain/repair a bike – spending an average of 147 Euros to maintain a traditional bike
- At the same time, many cited multiple reasons for considering ebike – less physical effort needed to complete daily trips (49 percent), can ride longer distances as compared to a regular bike (34 percent) and more environmentally friendly compared to other vehicles (29 percent)
- 32 percent noted they were likely to enroll for an ebike subscription service.
Dance currently provides members in Berlin and Hamburg a full-service approach to ebikes: for a monthly fee, members receive their own distinctive ebike; maintenance, repairs and theft insurance are included with membership. To learn more, visit dance.co.
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*The Dance - Ebike Survey was conducted by Wakefield Research among 2400 total general consumers living in or near major cities with 600 each in the following markets: Austria, The Netherlands, France, and Germany, between December 2nd and December 15th, 2021, using an email invitation and an online survey.
ABOUT DANCE
Dance is a premium ebike subscription service based in Berlin. The company’s mission is to create more livable cities centered around communities of people, not traffic. Dance combines easy-to-use services with a beautifully designed ebike, elevating everyday transportation into a joyful, healthy and sustainable act. A monthly subscription fee provides flexibility for members who want to try a new way to commute outside of car ownership. Dance’s service is currently live in Berlin and Hamburg and was founded by SoundCloud founders Eric Quidenus-Wahlforss and Alexander Ljung, together with the co-founder of Jimdo, Christian Springub. Investors include BlueYard, HV Capital and Eurazeo.
