More than 20,000 electric scooters belonging to Superpedestrian will be auctioned off later this month, along with other equipment from the startup’s U.S. operations, after closing its doors on December 31.
Key Takeaway
Superpedestrian, a startup in the shared scooter business, will be auctioning off more than 20,000 electric scooters and other equipment from its U.S. operations after facing financial struggles and ultimately shutting down at the end of 2023.
Global Online Auction
Two “global online auction” listings have appeared on the website of Silicon Valley Disposition, an online market for “surplus assets,” which will feature scooters and other paraphernalia from cities Superpedestrian operated in, like Seattle, Los Angeles, and New York City. The first auction opens on January 23 and will run for three days. A successive auction is set to run from January 29 to January 31.
Background and Financial Struggles
Superpedestrian initially got into the shared scooter business in 2020 when it acquired “substantially all” of the assets of Boston-based Zagster, part of a wave of consolidation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite raising $125 million less than two years ago, the company faced financial struggles in 2023 as it operated its shared scooter fleets in dozens of cities around the globe. The company’s potential merger and fresh funding did not materialize, leading to its closure at the end of 2023.
Shutting Down Operations
The startup informed its employees on December 15 that it was shutting down U.S. operations at the end of the year and exploring a sale of its European assets. The workers were tasked with retrieving the company’s scooters from cities around the country before the facilities were closed for the last time on December 31.
