PRESS KIT BLACKLANE GMBH For press inquiries, please contact Blacklane GmbH Leonie Heitmüller Oranienstraße 25 10999 Berlin +49 (0)30 2016 3014 E-Mail: press@blacklane.com
FACTSHEET Short description: Company name: Head office: Website: Facebook: Google+: Twitter: Xing: Rating: Industry: Blacklane offers business people, companies, and travelers a private limousine service that serves as a smart alternative to the taxi. Bookings can be made online or with the Blacklane smartphone app. Blacklane GmbH Oranienstraße, 10999 Berlin www.blacklane.com www.facebook.com/blacklane plus.google.com/107250003185682915653 www.twitter.com/blacklane https://www.xing.com/companies/blacklanegmbh https://www.ekomi.co.uk/review-blacklane.html Passenger transportation services Founded: September 2011, online since June 2012 Board of Directors: Vehicles: Dr. Jens Wohltorf, Frank Steuer Premium vehicles in three different categories: Employees: 60 Business Class, Business Van/ SUV, First Class Market information: Service available in: In Germany there are about 15,000 sedans with a turnover of about 1 billion euros and 50,000 taxis with a turnover of approximately 3 billion euros. Germany (Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne, Munich, Hanover, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Dresden, Leipzig, Nuremberg, Duesseldorf, Bonn, Dortmund, Essen, Bremen), Australia (Sydney, Melbourne), Austria (Vienna), Belgium (Brussels), Canada (Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal), China (Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Macau), Czech Republic (Prague), Colombia (Bogotá), Denmark (Copenhagen), Finland (Helsinki), France (Paris, Nice, Marseille, Lyon), Italy (Rome Milan), Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), Mexico (Mexico City), Netherlands (Amsterdam), Norway (Oslo), Singapore, South Africa (Johannesburg), Spain (Madrid, Barcelona), Sweden (Stockholm), Switzerland (Geneva, Zurich), Turkey (Antalya, Istanbul), United Kingdom (London), United States (Chicago, New York, Washington D.C., San Francisco, Boston, Miami, Los Angeles, Baltimore, Las Vegas, Orlando, Houston, Dallas, Philadelphia, Detroit, Atlanta, Seattle, San Diego, Denver) September, 2013 Seite 2 von 7
COMPANY & SERVICES Affordable luxury: Blacklane's limousine services open up the market to individual customers A black luxury sedan stops in front of your hotel; a friendly chauffeur holds the door for you; the car's exceptional legroom and tinted windows ensure a standard of quality usually afforded only to celebrities and diplomats. Who wouldn't want to get around like that? Now anyone can with Blacklane Ltd., a Berlin-based startup that offers a mobile service for booking chauffeured limousines at surprisingly affordable prices. How does it work? Bookings can be made online or with the Blacklane smartphone app. Blacklane's careful use of its car providers' services helps the company keep its prices low and offers its customers comfortable rides at fixed prices. Gratuities, waiting time, order processing fees, and detours are all included in Blacklane's rates. With our innovative approach, we've opened up the market for this high quality product not only to cost-sensitive companies whose employees often take a taxi, but also to individuals looking to spend a little more on a safe and private way of getting around, says Dr. Jens Wohltorf, co-founder and managing director of Blacklane GmbH with Frank Steuer. Before, booking a limousine was expensive and complicated. With Blacklane, it's easy and, thanks to the efficient use of our car providers' services, considerably cheaper than it used to be. With Blacklane's booking service, reservation times have been reduced from several days to several minutes. Immediately after booking, our platform finds the driver and vehicle that will best serve the order, says Frank Steuer. Blacklane offers three classes of vehicles at slightly different prices: Business Class vehicles (e.g., Mercedes E-Class, Audi A6, or BMW 5 series, Lincoln Town Car), Business Vans/ SUVs (e.g., Mercedes Viano and VW T5, Cadillac Escalade), and First Class vehicles (e.g., Mercedes S-Class, Audi A8, or BMW 7 series). Blacklane does not currently offer stretch limousines. Passengers can book cars for single trips or, should they need a driver to take them to two appointments in different locations, by the hour. Founded in June 2012 in Berlin, Blacklane now offers its services in almost every important international metropolis. This year the company continues its worldwide expansion. September, 2013 Seite 3 von 7
According to company estimates, there are currently around 15,000 chauffeur and limousine vehicles in Germany alone, with sales of around one billion Euros. In comparison, the 50,000 taxis operating in the country have a turnover of three billion euros. Some 70 percent of limousine providers operate with only one or two vehicles. So far, limousines are utilized only 20 percent of the time on average. We are increasing the capacity utilization of the limousine service providers as a trip-filler and thus their income. We thereby ensure that the number of empty trips is reduced significantly for both economic and ecological reasons, says Dr. Jens Wohltorf, co-founder and managing director of Blacklane. Not only do limousine rides offer comfort and absolute reliability, they also guarantee a high level of security and privacy, says Frank Steuer. To ensure Blacklane's high standard of quality, all vehicles and chauffeurs are integrated into the company's network and checked regularly. Blacklane's offer benefits everyone from tourists to celebrities and politicians. Businesses can also save time and money by using Blacklane and can be billed with monthly invoices. Bookings can be made online or via smartphone with the company's app and Blacklane's integrated billing service helps customers keep track of their payments and better manage their travel expenses. In the first year of its existence, Blacklane's team of 55 employees has managed to do enough work for a company tenfold its size. Investors are more than satisfied. Blacklane's outstanding performance on the German market shows us that Blacklane is best-suited to redefine the limousine service in Europe and worldwide, says advisory board chairman Dr. Jochen Gutbrod of RI Digital Ventures, adding: With its user-friendly service Blacklane offers its fast-growing customer base a perfect alternative to taking a cab. September, 2013 Seite 4 von 7
How it works Bookings can be made around the clock, online or with the company's smartphone app. Blacklane's customer service hotline is staffed seven days a week from 6am to 11pm. After specifying their pick-up location and booking period or desired destination, customers can choose from one of three classes of vehicles (Business Class, Business Van /SUV, First Class) at a binding fixed price including all taxes and fees. Cars can be booked up to fifteen minutes before the customer's required pick-up time. After booking, customers receive a confirmation of their order as well as their chauffeur`s contact details. Payments can be made by credit card, and companies can be billed on a monthly basis. All of a customer's invoices can easily be downloaded from their MyBlacklane account. September, 2013 Seite 5 von 7
Board of directors Dr. Jens Wohltorf (born 1977) studied industrial engineering at the Technical University of Berlin with research residencies at MIT and the University of California, Berkeley. In 2005 he completed his PhD in Telecommunications at the Distributed Artificial Intelligence Laboratory of the Technical University of Berlin. During this time he worked as head of the Competence Center for Next Generation Services on various research projects, supported among others by the European Union and the German federal government. Prior to Dr. Jens Wohltorf Founder and CEO founding Blacklane GmbH, Wohltorf worked as Principal at the Boston Consulting Group. His focus was on the high-tech and healthcare industries. At Blacklane he's head of sales, finance, corporate development, and marketing. Frank Steuer (born 1972) is head of technology, operations, product management, and online marketing at Blacklane. After receiving a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of Offenburg and an M.S. in media and communication engineering from the University of Helsinki, he continued his research at Oregon State University and Portland State University. He then managed the Competence Center in the Distributed Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (DAI-Labor) of the Technical University of Berlin. He founded Firstfon Ltd. (Jumptel) and Frank Steuer Founder and CEO was responsible for technology and operations for the company's telephony platform. Prior to founding Blacklane GmbH, he was Managing Director at the Semper Link GmbH, a spin-off of the DAI- Labor, dealing with IP networks, mobile services, and ICT in electric mobility. September, 2013 Seite 6 von 7
Images Picture 1: Dr. Jens Wohltorf and Frank Steuer in front of a Blacklane limousine Picture 2: Dr. Jens Wohltorf and Frank Steuer in a Blacklane limousine Picture 3: Blacklane vehicle categories Picture 4: Blacklane Mercedes S-Class Picture 5 and 6: Blacklane App Picture 7: Blacklane Logo September, 2013 Seite 7 von 7