Refurbished e-bike specialist Upway continues German market growth

Paris-based Upway, a specialist in the sale of refurbished e-bikes, has further expanded in the German market with the launch of its second German UpCentre opened in Düsseldorf.

Founded in 2021 by two former senior executives at Uber, Toussaint Wattinne and Stéphane Ficaja, the business adds this second German location to its already established Berlin UpCentre.

Opening the Düsseldorf UpCentre represents the business’s next international growth step – “offering 4,000 square meters of workshop and warehouse space in a strategic location with great infrastructure and logistics connections”.

A second German location “strengthens our commitment to sustainable mobility and expands our ability to refurbish and resell high-quality e-bikes across Germany,” with the new Düsseldorf UpCentre adding further capability and capacity, supporting a stated goal to “building the largest marketplace for reconditioned e-bikes, making electric mobility more affordable and reducing waste.”

Upway offers customers a 14 day trial period, and backs the e-bikes it sells with a 1 year warranty. In three years the company has sold some 50’000.

Planning for a growth-focused future

In sharing news of the new site opening, three key points are highlighted:

• Düsseldorf’s strategic location and strong logistics network help us work more efficiently with retailers, leasing providers, and other partners to bring pre-owned e-bikes back into circulation.
• With this new UpCentre in Düsseldorf, the business can refurbish more e-bikes and cater to more customers across Germany, making sustainable mobility more accessible.
• The expansion is a key step in promoting sustainability, as refurbishing e-bikes helps reduce CO₂ emissions and supports the circular economy.

At the opening of the Düsseldorf UpCentre the business celebrated with launch with partners and special guests, including Annette Klerks from the The Office of Economic Development Düsseldorf, who highlighted the importance of sustainable business models in the region.

International business on the rise

Annette Klerks and Upway co-founder Toussaint Wattinne cut the ribbon together during the opening ceremony, representing a symbolic start to a new chapter for a business that now counts market presence in seven countries across two continents: French, Belgium, Germany, The Netherland, Austria, Switzerland, and the United States of America.

The business has previously raised more than £24 million in funding, with backing from Exor Seeds, Sequoia Capital, and Global Founders Capital.

Image credit: Upway