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Idea Overview:
Bikeables creates a source of recreation, entertainment and socialization to the lives of the elderly and mobility impaired. by offering personalized, safe bike rides with fully trained and qualified care staff.
Our disability bikes and rickshaw rentals enable activity for elderly and mobility-impaired tourists, giving them the chance to truly enjoy the outdoors with no restriction.
Who might use it/where it might be used?:
The target market for the service are elderly and mobility impaired people. The bikes can be used in cities, countryside , parks, at the beach ( promenade), places with nice views or local attractions for short to medium lengths trips. They are e-bikes therefore hills are not an issue. The bikes are not suitable for off-road, sand, deep mud.
The Market (B2B, B2C or Both):
Both
Sector the idea belongs to:
Media and entertainment
Is there a similar idea to be found?:
Currently, the offer is limited. The competition provides services that restrict the elderly and mobility impaired to national parks or the new forest, they rely on volunteers to be available, the services don’t include the options for the less active– not all of them want to or are able to cycle, but they would like to get out and about, to really enjoy life all over again. That leaves a gap in the market for us, to fill with a service for the less-abled and less-active - people who want to experience life outside their house, and who care about having a less polluted town.
Why you think there is a demand for your idea?:
I worked 10 years in the healthcare sector and I noticed that as people get older, it is all too easy to stop socialising and gradually retreat into a very limited social network. Disabled people are already forced to endure limited movement and are therefore prone to solitude.
Loneliness is one of society’s largest health concerns. In over-50’s, the incidence of loneliness increased by a half from 2017 and it’s set to reach 2 million by 2025 and 77% of the disabled people aged 18-34 feel the same way. Loneliness is associated with physical and mental health problems and a poor quality of life.
Who would be the ideal customers?:
We aim to serve the elderly and mobility impaired people but we are not declining access to the service to any other people who would like to use it.
The elderly/ mobility impaired category is split in 2 categories : individuals and businesses ( care homes for example). The third category is made by the bikers, who want a second income from a flexible job and keep healthy.
What ideas do you have to reach these customers?:
We intend to implement a pilot in Bournemouth area in order to validate the MPV and the business model, to measure and adjust the marketing strategy, the service offering and the implementing time scale.
The Marketing will be based on 3 strategic directions:
1. Brand awareness: Flyers, banners, branded rickshaws, banners on relevant
websites
2. Immediate clients attraction: Facebook Ads, direct sales
3. Long term inbound marketing strategy
How far have you developed this idea?:
We have a business plan with financials and several service presentations
What – if any – feedback have you had for this idea so far?:
Bikeables is an idea validated by University of Nottingham through the Ingenuity Program. It won the South Coast Award
What supporting material – if any - would you like to add to your proposal?:
Powerpoint presentation of the service and financial presentation. Business plan if accepted
2 comments to “Bikeables”
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Simon Krystman - September 19, 2023 at 5:44 am
What is your main challenge at the moment? What help or expertise could you do with?
Benjamin Dimowo - December 5, 2023 at 12:30 pm
Great idea!
The question bothering me is how do you intend to make money from this? What are you selling? Is it the bikes or safe bike rides service?
If it is the bikes you are selling, are the bikes affordable enough for the mobility-impaired or elderly? Do you plan to always rely on grant funding from the government or civil societies to provide these bike rides?
If it is the service you are selling, considering the costs of procuring the bikes, maintenance/repair, training of qualified care staff and payment of remunerations, will your service be affordable enough for the mobility-impaired or elderly? Do you plan to affiliate yourself with care homes so they bear the cost of procuring the bikes themselves such that what you sell to them is simply the bike ride service? In such a case, will what they pay you be able to cover for the training of staff and their remuneration?