156: The inexorable rise of Micromobility in Kenya and West Africa - the story of Roam Motors with Albin Wilson

156: The inexorable rise of Micromobility in Kenya and West Africa - the story of Roam Motors with Albin Wilson

Author: Oliver Bruce and Horace Dediu November 10, 2022 Duration: 36:59

This week Oliver speaks with Albin Wilson from Roam Motors, who are building a electric motorbike manufacturer and battery stack out of Kenya. Oliver was particularly struck when talking to Albin about the size of the opportunity and how conforming to the theory of micromobility what they’re doing is. 

We have long thought that the market for Micromobility would be most exciting in countries where automobility and electrification has yet to happen simply by nature of these vehicles being cheaper and the markets less attached to the past than OECD countries. It’s also the most exciting spot for future decarbonisation opportunities. 

Specifically they dig into:

  • Roam’s backstory - how they ended up building EV’s from Kenya
  • The details of the bikes and what Roam is working on
  • What has been hard/different about building for
  • How much Roam has raised and what the market for raising is like


Connect with Albin on LinkedIn

Learn more about Roam here


We are committed to finding more people to interview in this space. If there’s anyone listening to this who can give us an introduction to the team at Ola in India please let us know via Twitter DM’s or at oliver@micromobility.io. We would love to have that conversation with them and about their electrification efforts given that they’ve just shipped their 100,000th electric moped in only just over a year since starting production.


In the meantime if you haven’t check out our latest effort, the Rider Choice Awards, you really should check it out. It is our industries version of the Oscars, the Baftas, the Top Gear Speed Week and the Webby’s all tied into one. You can select the best firms and vehicles in more than 30 categories and get them selected for consideration ahead of judging for Micromobiltiy World, which is happening on January 19th online. We have many of the top brands in the world currently battling it out for top spot in the bike, scooter, pod, subscription business, shared operator and more from around the world. We’ve been blown away by the level of excitement from the community and are super excited to share the preliminary results with you. The first round of cutoff is coming this month, and then again next month so get your votes in quickly!



Catch us on Twitter @MicromobilityCo. Horace and Oliver are also active on their personal accounts and would love to hear from you.

Our newsletter is completely free, and you can subscribe to have it in your inbox every Tuesday morning here! And for those who want more, we offer our Micromobility membership (mmm — “Triple M”) which includes exclusive content, swag, and conference discounts, as well as live calls with Horace and team!

We’re also on LinkedIn and Instagram.



Ed Niedermeyer, an author and analyst with a sharp focus on the automotive world, guides Ride AI alongside co-hosts Horace Dediu, Oliver Bruce, and James Gross. Together, they navigate the complex intersection where artificial intelligence meets transportation, a space that's rapidly reshaping how we think about movement, business, and urban life. This isn't just a series of interviews; it's a deep exploration of the forces driving change, from autonomous vehicles and electric scooters to the broader economic and societal shifts they trigger. Each episode pulls back the curtain on the strategies and struggles of founders, investors, and engineers who are building the future of mobility. You'll hear candid discussions that go beyond the hype, focusing on the practical realities of investment, the nuances of technological adoption, and the lessons learned from both successes and failures in the field. For anyone curious about the business models behind the tech or the investment theses shaping this volatile sector, this podcast offers a grounded, insightful perspective. Tune in for conversations that are as much about the journey of innovation as they are about the destination.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

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