Since the days of the horse carriages, people have cherished and valued what they drive. This bond is becoming stronger with digital transformations. Increased connectivity, IoT, wireless solutions, and rising customer expectations are all driving investments. Technology also espouses other elements of the automotive value chain, including design, manufacture, distribution, and retail. Also, e-Commerce has assisted the expansion of vendors of all kinds, whether offline, B2C, or B2B, by boosting car sales and transforming the traditional buying experience.
While technology keeps evolving mobility and its relationship with its owner, it’s important to realize that it disperses huge customer data. The decentralized data is exploitable and vulnerable to additional threats. Mario Schraepen, a salesforce veteran, intends to change this scenario and hand customer data back to the driver. With his innovative platform LinkedCar, he strives to offer a centralized database for everything related to your car, e-bike, etc.
LinkedCar is an award-winning customer-first mobility platform for the mobility industry. Powered by Salesforce technology, it collects vehicle data from dealers, manufacturers, insurers, fleets, and even live data from linked vehicles and allows to choose whether the driver wants to monetize it. LinkedCar works on a B2B2C model – and while its ambassadors are its consumers, the revenue stream is generated from its mobility business partners (car dealers, lease/fleet management, insurance, fuel card companies, roadside assistance, etc.).
The platform also intends to change the business framework for dealers. It helps dealers streamline the sales and after-sales process for loyal and sustainable relationships. The platform offers a 360° overview of its consumers, including GDPR consents, quotes or social media interactions. LinkedCar provides a centralized solution, bringing customers’ digital footprints directly to dealers, and ensures a long-lasting, overwhelming experience for consumers that generates more revenue.
Mario found the idea of LinkedCar back when he was driving a leased car for a while. He did not know whom to ask for proper maintenance, whether it’s changing a component or repairing a cracked windshield. He discovered there was a lot of data scattered about and wondered why no app focused on both the driver and the car, even when switching vehicles, and gathered it all in one spot. He pitched his idea to people in the automotive sector, such as leasing and insurance firms. And while they liked it, they flagged the fact that the idea didn’t include real-time data. For them, information on the miles driven safely by the driver would add more value to their business model. Bringing the idea and feedbacks together with his extensive experience in Salesforce technology, Mario founded LinkedCar.
The leader adds how his endeavour has unfurled. In his words, he says, “In the back of our minds, we always had the mission to return connected vehicle data to the driver, so that they can decide for themselves who to share the data. And now, all the pieces of the puzzle are coming together… with our smart IoT device, our mobile app, and our connected Mobility Platform built on top of Salesforce. We are now effectively listened – what we intend to do with vehicle data. We believe we are at the beginning of a movement.”. The leader has spent over 15 years in Salesforce Technology and is well aware of its capabilities. It allows LinkedCar to be more functional for customers by covering security, transactions, business process, etc. His brilliance rewarded him with the ‘Salesforce Partner Innovation Award.’ He also acknowledges his unshaded achievements (first employee, our first Gin & Tonic Friday, our first customer) as prominent milestones.
Although LinkedCar is a recent addition in the startup arena, it stands as a trendsetter. There isn’t any other player that brings so much aggregated data and offers connected vehicle information to the driver for free. While this portrays LinkedCar as an agile startup, its hardware sets it apart. Its smart IoT device can be mounted on any vehicle with a battery, and the AI algorithm allows it to intercept multiple signals of all these vehicles. Since its business thrives on mobility data, it constantly explores the space for discoveries. LinkedCar is deep-rooted in R&D and continues to research multiple aspects to stay innovative and monitor the competitors and their innovations.
LinkedCar was born during the initial levels of COVID-19. Within 3 months, the scenario became chaotic and hit the Company hard. Many of their signed contracts, employment, etc., vanished overnight, casting a long shadow. But neither Mario nor his team was ready to give up. “We could have stopped there, but the potential of our idea was too great, and we were so passionate about our vision that we couldn’t let it go,” he says. To survive, they started streamlining their operations with a focus on where they wanted to be. They began collaborating with researchers from Karel de Grote Hogeschool to be more well-informed. The period has also made them humbler, whether winning an award or bringing in a new customer. Nothing comes for free, so they celebrate every win with the team – no matter how small!
Mario commends his team wholeheartedly for their unyielding endeavour during the turbulence. Even being in a war for talent and in a very precarious situation, its team choose a startup that ideates to change the world of vehicle data. “I am so grateful and proud that they believe in our product and our corporate values,” adds Mario proudly.
Mario Schraepen refers to himself as a “chief believer,” which immediately conveys a management and personality that is friendly and interested in you as a person. He believes proper attention to individuals and space enables learning, which is paramount to their growth. He enjoys nurturing people through a trial-and-error approach, thus enabling the team to learn from their mistakes and each other’s passion and qualities. Under his guidance, the company has had a rapidly changing environment, and there’s a lot at stake. However, the team’s passion for keeping the Company in line with its vision makes the culture enthusiastic.
Starting amidst chaos, LinkedCar’s passion and perseverance has earned it a number of prestigious accolades. A few are mentioned below:
LinkedCar is also listed amongst 1 of the 5 best startups in Belgium by DataNews! The Company is a complete powerhouse and celebrate every award, every win and every achievement to keep up the good work and fight for what it believes in.
LinkedCar is more than just an innovative venture. It’s a movement that enables consumers to own and manage their data. In the aftermath of the Pandemic, the Company is witnessing new possibilities with collected data and opportunities. For instance, it’s currently working on integrating Fitbit with driving behaviour to understand if sleeping influences driving behaviour. The possibilities are endless, and LinkedCar seeks to lead the way with new insights.
“Never stop believing. “You will hear more ‘no’ than ‘yes’, but they don’t see the world the way you do. Keep fighting, keep fine-tuning your story so everyone understands, and you’ll get there.”
LinkedCar on Social Media
Business Talk is a digital business magazine that caters to CEOs, Entrepreneurs, VC, and Corporates. While working with entrepreneurs and business executives, we focus not only on their achievements. Our mission is to shed light on business entities, including their innovations, technological benchmarks, USPs, and milestones/accolades.
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