HomeBusinessJoco almost died at launch. Now it's a lifeline for e-bike delivery...

Joco almost died at launch. Now it’s a lifeline for e-bike delivery drivers – and a profitable business

One morning in September 2024, two Jonathan Cohens — one from the Rockaways in Queens, the other from London — stood in an empty 15,000-square-foot parking garage near Hudson Yards in New York City. As they walked the broken yellow lines, they explained how the space would help Joco, their shared e-bike delivery startup, continue to grow.

“We’re removing all the cars, and this will be completely dedicated to electric two-wheelers, three-wheelers, four-wheelers and light-duty electric vehicle charging,” Cohen (NY), Joco’s Chief Growth Officer, beamed to TechCrunch. .

The two walked through the cavernous grounds, interrupting each other like a married couple telling a story to friends, as they set the stage for a place that would be as much about utility as it was about community: a mechanical workshop in the back, several rooms with charging lockers so riders could swap e-bike batteries, docking stations and two bathrooms.

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Cohen (London), Joco’s CEO, pointed to an area not far from the front that would be designated for a Joco concierge service, where delivery people could check in, pick up items and take a break from the chaos of the city.

“Think of it as a gas station [for delivery riders],” added Cohen (NY). “They’ll use it as a place to just relax and take a break.”

The concept of offering gig workers a pit stop — a place to use the restroom, charge their phones and even pray — isn’t new to Joco, which already offers the service in partnership with Grubhub at two Alphabet locations City and Midtown. West. And after nearly failing the company several times in its first year, such duties of care to customers are a major reason why Joco is still alive.

Joco co-founders Jonathan Cohen (CEO) and Jonathan A. Cohen (CGO) stand in what will become an e-bike hub and warehouse in New York in September 2024.Image credits:Rebecca Bellan” loading=”eager” height=”509″ width=”680″ class=”yf-24rror loader”/>
Joco co-founders Jonathan Cohen (CEO) and Jonathan A. Cohen (CGO) stand in what will be an e-bike hub and warehouse in New York in September 2024.Image credits:Rebekah Bellan

Joco – named after its two co-founders, who met at Columbia Business School in 2017 – launched in New York in 2021 with the mission to compete with Lyft-owned Citi Bike with shared, docked e-bikes. The Cohens thought that placing Joco’s docking stations on private property would allow them to avoid both Citi Bike territory and city oversight. They were wrong. The NYC Department of Transportation immediately charged Joco with operating a bikeshare without prior approval from the agency, forcing the startup to forego offering consumer rides and opt for last-mile delivery.

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Now Joco serves both gig workers who rent e-bikes at daily or weekly rates and business customers who order a dedicated fleet from the start. Joco has approximately 18 enterprise customers – including Grubhub, Reef, Fresh Direct and other major logistics companies – in New York, Chicago and Miami. As part of its B2B package, Joco also offers fleet management technology, service and maintenance, docking stations and, increasingly, battery charging cabinets.

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