Dubai-based Swvl has agreed to purchase Barcelona-based Shotl, an Uber-like service for bus and van operators that offers services to municipalities, corporations, and educational institutions, a source told Reuters.
Swvl also operates a digital platform that enables passengers to reserve and pay for rides with bus operators along fixed routes.
The source did not disclose the financial terms of the deal, which is the latest in the transport technology sector globally as companies seek to raise money through public listings.
Founded in Egypt in 2017, the company operates in 10 cities across six countries and achieves more than 3 million trips a month.
Shotl, which operates in 22 cities across 10 countries including Brazil and Japan, will serve as Swvl’s hub in Europe to serve people in thinly populated areas.
Through the deal, Swvl will have access to autonomous driving projects, as Shotl participates in the European Commission-led project, which aims to highlight the impact of self-driving minibuses on the future of public transport networks.
