Ed Baker is an Internet growth strategy advisor with a background in viral marketing who has helped platforms such as Facebook and Uber achieve sustained success. Ed Baker’s present advisory positions are with startups including Zwift, a virtual cycling trainer, and LimeBike, which has created an innovative dockless bike-sharing service.
A recent article on technology news site Recode focused on LimeBike’s novel approach to dockless bike-sharing, which allows riders to rent bicycles and park them wherever they want. Users locate bikes via a bike-sharing app and use their smartphone to lock and unlock the bikes by scanning a QR code.
A pressing problem within urban environments is that unmanaged bikes can easily collect and block pedestrian areas if not parked at designated locations. LimeBike is working on a solution that involves working with local businesses to create city-sanctioned drop-off points. If a business agrees to allow its storefront to serve as a parking zone for bikes, the trade-off could be an increase in store traffic.
To encourage responsible bike parking, LimeBike is considering a consumer-focused incentive program. Discounts and free rides may also be implemented for people who are willing to move bikes from low-demand to high-demand locations.
