Scoop announces $36M in total financing for its fully managed carpool program for commuters
Scoop announces recent $20 million Series B from G2VP and previously unannounced $11 million Series A from Index Ventures to bring total financing to $36M. With new product advancements and nearly 2M individual carpool trips, Scoop has helped tens of thousands of people dramatically improve their commute at over 25 corporate campuses.
Scoop Technologies, Inc., a fast-growing mobile carpooling service that offer commuters a convenient and enjoyable way to commute to work, today announces new product, brand, and operational advancements applied across every customer touchpoint. Scoop dramatically improves the daily commute by bringing co-workers and neighbors together to enjoy a smooth carpooling experience -- unlocking new opportunities to create friendships, improve their well-being, and make the most of their valuable time. Scoop partners with competitive employers to deliver a flexible and fully managed program that empowers every employer to foster a more energized, engaged, and productive workforce.
In addition, Scoop announces it has recently closed a $20 million B round led by Brook Porter at G2VP and a previously unannounced $11 million Series A led by Danny Rimer at Index Ventures, bringing the total financing to $36 million. Brook Porter and Danny Rimer have joined the Scoop Board of Directors. Dan Shapero, VP of LinkedIn’s Talent Solutions, Careers, and Learning businesses, also has joined the Board of Directors as an Independent.
Our vision is to enrich millions of people’s lives by helping them choose to make their commute a meaningful part of their day. From new employees who can make valuable co-worker connections to HR leaders who can now reduce stress due to the commute, we’re excited about the benefits carpooling can have on employees and the companies they work for,” said Rob Sadow, CEO and Co-Founder of Scoop. “This new round of funding will enable Scoop to bring convenient carpooling to commuters across the nation.
Since launching in 2015, Scoop has helped thousands choose carpooling as their daily form of commuting. To date, carpoolers have taken close to 2M individual Scoop trips. Scoop is currently available to commuters who work in the San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle, and will be expanding into new cities around the country.
“When we started Scoop, we had to begin by solving the biggest hurdle to carpooling, which is coordination,” said Jon Sadow, Chief Product Officer and Co-founder of Scoop. “To make carpooling work for commuters at scale, it has to fit their scheduling needs. But beyond that, we wanted to build something that would have meaning - something that would directly impact people’s lives on a daily basis. Studies we’ve seen rank the commute as the lowest satisfaction activity of the day. We’re dedicated to changing that by putting people into carpools they love.”
The Scoop product is designed around people’s commute schedules, with a feature set that makes carpooling a smooth experience: reliable door-to-door pick up, efficient routing, and payment inside the app. Says Jon, “In contrast to traditional carpooling, Scoop doesn’t just find you a permanent carpool. The carpools made by Scoop are flexible and reflect the changing schedules of commuters. We put the commuter first when we designed the scheduling and matching experience.”
Integral to Scoop’s business model are its employer relationships. Scoop partners with major employers, office parks, and local governments to offer employees a convenient commuting solution. Partners include LinkedIn, T-Mobile, Symantec, Workday, Applied Materials, and many more. Scoop also partners with public organizations and transit agencies across the country. In a study done of hundreds of Scoop commuters, the statistics show Scoop’s huge impact on work, life, and more.
- Recruitment: 71% of respondents agree Scoop support by a future employer would influence their decision to work there.
- Stress: 79% say Scoop has reduced stress related to their commute.
- Cross-functional collaboration: 92% say Scoop has given them a chance to meet and network with new people at their company.
- Productivity: 53% say Scoop has helped them be more productive at work.
LinkedIn, a recent Scoop enterprise partner, has seen great success not only in reducing vehicle trips to campus, but in the humanistic benefits of Scoop. “Our relationship with Scoop allows our employees to get to work in a much more productive manner than before. With Scoop, our employees are happier when they walk into the office and the majority save time on their commute,” said Mike Alba, Head of Global Transportation at LinkedIn. “We’ve been so excited to hear about the cross-functional benefits of Scoop as different employees meet each other in their daily carpools.”
"The real magic of Scoop lies in the model. By working directly with employers, Scoop is able to reach commuters in a way that builds trust, creates massive scale, and establishes a solid economic model from day one. These advantages are just not possible when going directly to consumers," said Danny Rimer, general partner at Index Ventures and Scoop board member. “We’ve enjoyed the opportunity to lend our expertise in marketplace businesses to help Scoop reach thousands of carpoolers and dozens of enterprises across the country.”
How Scoop Works
Commuters download Scoop in the iOS or Android app store and enter their normal route to and from work. With separate morning and evening scheduling and the ability to ride or drive, Scoop makes it easy to coordinate a daily carpool. Carpoolers schedule their morning carpool by 9 PM the night before, and the evening carpool by 3 PM on the day of the trip. This style of carpool scheduling allows peace-of-mind and reliability for carpoolers.
Scoop offers commuters individual benefits including door-to-door pickups, optimized routes, and a Guaranteed Ride Home so carpoolers are never left without a way home. When it comes to matching, Scoop’s algorithm selects the most convenient trip based on an efficient route, nearby carpoolers, carpool lanes, and more.
New Feature: Shortlist
This month, Scoop rolls out a new feature called Shortlist which enables Riders and Drivers todiscover carpools beyond the normal Scoop matching deadlines. Riders who don’t find a carpool or
can’t make their initial match work are automatically added to the Shortlist. Here, Drivers can view Rider’s trip details and pick the one that best fits their preferences to create a carpool. By allowing commuters to create carpools after the matching deadline, Shortlist makes it even easier to rely on Scoop.
How Shortlist Works:
- For Riders: If a Rider is unable to find a match for a particular commute they are automatically added to the Shortlist. Here, Drivers are able to view the details of their request in order to create a match that fits their preferences.
- For Drivers: Drivers can access the Shortlist after the matching deadline to find a Rider, regardless of whether or not they scheduled initially. Drivers can view Rider match details including route, detour information, and time requests. If they find a Rider that fits their preferences, they can create a carpool with the Rider.
- Shortlist gives both Riders and Drivers the ability to create a carpool beyond the normal Scoop matching deadlines. This makes Scoop even more reliable and helps create even more carpools.
- Shortlist is rolling out to a limited group of commuters starting this month with more to follow shortly.
Features Of Scoop:
- Schedule with ease: Separate AM and PM trips to fit your work schedule. Ride or drive to meet your daily needs. Carpoolers split the cost of the commute so everyone saves.
- Backed by trusted connections: Scoop brings together co-workers and neighbors who are going the same way. Every Driver undergoes a Motor vehicle history check.
- Smart routes so you never waste time: Scoop’s algorithm identifies the most efficient trip based on the fastest route, nearby carpoolers, carpool lanes, and more.
For more information, visit www.takescoop.com.
About Scoop Technologies Inc.
Scoop Technologies Inc. is a San Francisco-based company founded by brothers Rob and Jon Sadow in 2015. Scoop is a carpooling app that dramatically improves the daily commute through offering convenient and enjoyable carpooling. Scoop partners with employers of any size, enabling them to offer an impactful carpool solution to their workforce. With more than 100k carpoolers on the platform, tens of thousands are able to carpool with Scoop. Scoop has raised $36M from G2VP, Index Ventures, and Signia Venture Partners, including other prominent investors such as Jeff Weiner, Jack Chou, and Mike Gamson.
Published — Nov. 9, 2017