Stations-e, a sustainable mobility operator, raises €30 million from Cube IM, Breega and Banque des Territoires (CDC)
Paris, October 19, 2021 – Stations-e, a sustainable mobility operator, has just completed a €30 million round of financing led by Cube IM, alongside historical investors, Breega and Banque des Territoires. This round of financing will enable the company to deploy 10,000 multi-service stations by 2027.
Self financed multi-service electrical charging kiosks
Founded in 2018, Stations-e is deploying a new generation of multi-service electric charging stations to both power and help build tomorrow’s smart city economy.
Stations-e kiosks are electric vehicle charging stations that also act as telecom carriers, providing local inhabitants and businesses with Firmware-over-the-air services, access to high-speed mobile networks and improved mobile coverage. The stations are also docking and sharing points meaning they can be used by businesses to provide local services.
Stations-e’s innovative model is completely self-financing: its network of stations are financed by industrial and service revenues that not only create economic activity but also local employment (Energy, telecommunications, proximity services, smart city,…). Stations-e takes care of the financing, installation, connection, operation and maintenance of the kiosks.
Stations-e’s deployment is completely free and local authorities can host the company and its services without going through the public procurement process allowing for rapid deployment.
…interoperable and designed to accommodate smart city solutions
Stations-e fast charging electrical points are the same as those of other European networks and its charging costs amongst the most competitive.
Stations-e fast charging points guarantee identical charging speeds for all brands of electric vehicles – which is not the case today for the vast majority of public charging points in France.
The kiosks are patented and are made available to telecom operators therefore allowing for wide scale high-speed broadband access and the implementation of IoT solutions, smart cities, etc.
The company has recently developed a new 100% modular kiosk that can be deployed in less than 8 hours, in all seasons and weather conditions, that will enable Stations-e to accelerate the deployment of its fleet. This new innovative kiosk will be launched early next month at a sporting event.
Stations-e is looking to install its kiosks on public and private land in suburban areas and more generally in cities of all sizes where its combined services are most relevant to the population.
A vector of partnerships, innovations and local employment
Stations-e has signed business and tech contracts with an array of partners in the fields of electrical recharging, telecommunications, transportation, and also the production and storage of energy from renewable sources.
With its solutions designed and manufactured in France, the Stations-e network will also provide startups with a technical and commercial platform enabling them to deploy innovative solutions and services.
The company is developing solutions to create and analyse mobility data that will be shared with the company’s key partners; cities and communities. This data will be important in the development of coherent local mobility policies. It will also enable the development of new functionalities, ranging from simple trip optimisation tools to the deployment of new mobility offers – for example with car manufacturers.
Stations-e works closely with municipalities and local authorities across France and is currently deploying in four major regions – including the Grand Est, where the company has been selected as part of the Business Act economic stimulus plan.
An investment for growth
Now with a dozen experts, Stations-e will use this latest fundraise to double its workforce by 2022 and accelerate the production and deployment of its kiosks.
With the support of its investors, the company will accelerate its growth, expand its geographic footprint and further develop its relationships with public and private economic agents. This investment is part of its investors’ ongoing commitment to address critical and local infrastructure needs in markets with sustainable and attractive growth dynamics, while contributing to their ESG objectives.
Alain Rolland, founder and CEO of Stations-e, explains:
“This investment comes after a year of strong acceleration in our markets. Municipalities as well as private companies are looking for partners to invest and meet the growing expectations of the population for charging and proximity services. Data consumption and smart objects also require rapid densification of telecom infrastructure.” He added: “Thanks to Cube’s investment and the continued financial support of la Banque des Territoires and Breega, we will be able to accelerate the deployment of our network throughout France and then internationally.“
Stéphane Calas, Managing Director of Cube Infrastructure Managers, added:
“We are very proud to announce this first investment by Cube III. The investment in Stations-e illustrates our strategy to invest early in medium-sized European companies developing and operating essential local infrastructure and to support their long-term growth. We are impressed by the vision, quality and results of the management team, which is positioned at the intersection of Cube’s main investment strategies combining energy transition, mobility and telecoms. With the experience acquired over the years in these key sectors, we will support Stations-e to become a privileged partner of local economic agents in terms of climate, pollution, digital and territorial attractiveness. This investment marks the first transaction of Cube Infrastructure Fund III since its first closing at €1 billion in September 2021.”
“Stations-e is a “model” company of the future that, by easing the transition to electric transportation and providing the infrastructure essential to the smart city, meets the ecological and societal demands of our time. All this with a flexible and reliable model that does not rely on state financing. Breega is proud to support them in their mission.”
Managing Partner at Breega.
“Deploying charging stations in public spaces is often very costly for local authorities; not all of them have the means to deploy as quickly or as much as they would like. It is therefore essential to create new solid economic and industrial models, without the money of local authorities, to achieve these objectives, in all territories. It is the core mission of the Banque des Territoires to allow the emergence of such innovative models. The Stations-e project is clearly in line with this objective and should accelerate territorial coverage, particularly in terms of charging stations,“
Gautier Chatelus, Deputy Director of the Infrastructure and Transport Department at Banque des Territoires.
