Gouach raises €3.3M with Breega to launch and market its repairable batteries
Paris, 9th February 2022 – Gouach, manufacturer of the very first eco-designed battery that can be repaired in less than 10 minutes, is raising €3.3 m. This financing round, led by Breega and accompanied by Gouach’s business angels, the New Aquitaine region and Bpifrance, will allow Gouach to market its battery to micro mobility actors and expand its team.
The Bordeaux-based startup GOUACH’s mission is to enable sustainable and environmentally friendly soft mobility. To do so, the startup has developed the first electric battery for bicycles, scooters and small electric vehicles. The battery is designed and manufactured in France, and, above all, repairable in less than 10 minutes. GOUACH hopes that their battery will reduce the volume of electronic waste and lower the carbon footprint of micro mobility batteries by 70%.
The first repairable, sustainable and connected micro-mobility battery
Based on a study carried out on hundreds of “end-of-life” batteries and showing that almost 80% of the components were still in perfect working order, Alexandre Vallette, Maxime Agor and Maël Primet developed an innovative and patented battery design in 2020, whose defective components can be replaced easily and safely.
This battery is also helping to create a circular economy for bicycles: it can be repaired locally, thus helping to create local jobs and fight programmed obsolescence, and allows the reuse and recycling of used cells therefore helping to reduce carbon emissions. According to a study conducted by Magelan, GOUACH’s batteries emit 2.6 times less CO2 than a conventional battery and consume 2.5 times less water, while being just as efficient.
The GOUACH battery is also connected. Users of the GOUACH application can track the battery’s life cycle in real time, optimise its use and receive alerts and accurate diagnosis in case of failure. Data on battery use can also be collected by operators at the recharging point.
After an 18-month research and development phase and obtaining certifications, a test phase is being carried out with Pony, the only French player in the electric bike and scooter market offering self-service high-end equipment and so far feedback has been very enthusiastic.
The GOUACH founders will use this first round of financing in 2022 to market their battery to fleet operators and manufacturers in the micro-mobility sector and to reinforce their team of 15 people.
A high potential market
Gouach operates in a sector with great potential. According to Deloitte, 130 million e-bikes will be sold worldwide between 2020 and 2023. Also, according to a report by Precedence Research, the micro-mobility market, now estimated at $41.2 billion in 2020, is expected to reach $198 billion by 2030.
“Current shortages confirm it: business models based on obsolescence have no future in a world whose reserves are not, ultimately, inexhaustible. At Gouach, our goal is to build and market on a large scale the very first electric battery for bicycles and scooters that can be fully repaired in less than 10 minutes. It’s a big challenge but we are convinced that we can do it. For us, the support of Breega and our investors is a strong signal that a profound change is underway.”
Alexandre Vallette, CEO at Gouach
Gouach is the first European company to tackle the problem of battery obsolescence in the micro-mobility sector in depth. Its patented, smart and repairable battery is a must-have for micro-mobility manufacturers and suppliers, allowing them to reduce both costs and carbon footprint. At Breega, we are therefore delighted to support the talented founders of Gouach: Alexandre, Maxime and Maël, and their teams in their mission to make soft mobility both more efficient and more environmentally friendly
Maximilien Bacot, Founding Partner at Breega
