Moving ahead: GFT invests in CODE_n Alumnus parkpocket

In our first interview with parkpocket, Karoline Bader, CFO of the future mobility startup, told us all about their initial idea and vision. A lot has happened since then: the team backing siblings Karoline and Stefan Bader worked hard; parkpocket celebrated a product relaunch today. Originally based in Munich, they grew immensely and recently opened a second office in Stuttgart, located in the CODE_n SPACES. This goes hand-in-hand with even bigger news: GFT, the initiator behind CODE_n, has invested in the startup once selected as finalist for the CODE_n15 CONTEST.

Around half a million – that’s the amount GFT invested in the startup with the parking solution; however, the bond between the young company and its investor goes beyond money. Ulrich Dietz, CEO of GFT and CODE_n initiator, believes that the parkpocket solution “will solve a very essential issue. An issue that millions of people face on a daily basis.” To Stefan Bader, CEO of parkpocket, Ulrich Dietz has taken on the role of a mentor: “For us, GFT is a partner and advisor, rather than just an investor,” he says. The relationship is also special in the sense that, while GFT has acquired quite a few firms in the past, this is its very first startup investment.

Embedded into the CODE_n Ecosystem

With the opening of an office in the CODE_n SPACES, parkpocket is automatically embedded into the CODE_n Ecosystem – even more so now than they were before. Although CODE_n has been set up as an international startup initiative, bringing in partners and know-how from all over the globe, being based in the CODE_n SPACES Stuttgart means: being close to Baden-Wuerttemberg’s strong industrial environment. As a future mobility startup, parkpocket will definitely be benefiting from the fact that the automotive industry is literally right around the corner.

Furthermore, parkpocket’s target market is set to be big in Stuttgart, too: up to 40 percent of the traffic volume in Germany’s cities is caused by people looking for parking spaces, with Stuttgart high up on the list of traffic issues. The parkpocket app aims at solving exactly that: helping people find the right parking spot, on-the-go, easily and with great comfort. Even better: the solution lets users compare parking fees, something that can save you a lot of money in Baden-Wuerttemberg’s capital.

The new version of the app, which also includes information such as opening hours of car parks, the availability of handicapped parking and charging stations for e-mobility-cars, is now available for download. We’ve already tested it and particularly like the ability to calculate the duration of the drive to the parking spot and the walk to the final destination. Well done to our friends from parkpocket – and of course, a warm welcome from the whole CODE_n family!

parkpocket is also part of Wayra, the Telfónica startup program. Wayra has the news about the investment in their blog as well: read more here

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