Why Usain Bolt co-founded electric scooter company Bolt Mobility
The fastest man in the world wants to make commutes quicker and safer.
Usain Bolt, a 9-time Olympic gold medalist and internationally beloved athlete, is now the co-founder and global ambassador for Bolt Mobility, a company that rents out eco-friendly electric scooters via an app.
The former sprinter joined The Final Round on Friday, alongside the company’s co-CEO and co-founder, Dr. B. Sarah Haynes, to discuss the impetus behind his foray into the e-scooter business.
‘A big deal right from the start’
Bolt says it was “a no-brainer” to work with Bolt Mobility after experiencing the gratification of working with companies devoted to creating environmentally sustainable products.
“This was a big deal from the start,” Bolt explained. “I’ve done a lot of work when it comes to global warming. For me, that was a big part of the fact that I wanted to be a part of the e-scooter business.”
Likewise, according to Bolt Mobility’s co-CEO and co-founder Dr. B. Sarah Haynes, a partnership with Bolt cemented the company’s mission.
“We were introduced to his team, and we were looking for the right kind of fit for our name,” said Haynes. “The ethos and DNA of our company is about being the best in class, having the discipline to be able to work hard and continuously improve; it was a perfect match.”
Haynes is a former professor at Georgetown University School of Medicine and, according to Bolt Mobility, carried her experience in both scientific research and clinical psychology with her to the company, and applied it to the development of safety features which separate Bolt e-scooters from their rivals.
“We designed our scooters from the bottom-up. Everything is customized,” said Haynes. “As a woman who has children and focuses on neuropsychology, I wanted to make sure that our product was the safest on the market.”
Haynes said the scooters fill two needs at once.
“People are excited about having mobility solutions that are clean energy, that are taking back their time to be able to enjoy their commute, and to be able to spend time with their family and their friends,” said Haynes. “It’s really been adopted very quickly, as you can see all over the world.”
Olivia Balsamo is a writer and producer at Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter @BalsamoOlivia.
Read more:
'Medicare for All' would be a ‘major disruption,’ says EventShares CIO
Shopify COO: The future of retail is not just online
Why AKT founder Anna Kaiser isn't afraid of Peloton
Why kids need to know far more about personal finance than they do right now
