Fietsy

We initiated this project ourselves because we see that the city of Amsterdam doesn’t need any new tourists and at the same time the surrounding region would like more attention. Imagine this: you come to Amsterdam as a tourist, you want to explore everything and most preferably like a real Amsterdammer as well. What to do? Fietsy helps you get on the ride. Literally. Fietsy is an alternative to bus trips to the region and consists of a network of bike-rentals, a website and an app. Cycle through polders and forests as a local and discover more than just the mainstream.

We say: “Ride like the Dutch… without sweating too much.”

Combine the numerous Amsterdam bicycle shops and many people thinking out bike routes and you get the Fietsy app. Fietsy app brings together existing elements to offer a new experience, just like AirBnB and Uber did with taxis and hotels. Via Airbnb you rent an apartment to make you feel like an ‘Amsterdammer’. A similar experience for activities was not yet available.

Not everybody enjoys a sweaty touring car. We get that. With an e-bike you are able to go your own way; an app with routes and local tips will show you the way.

The idea for Fietsy was established during the Holland Call of the province of North Holland, a hackathon aimed at connecting tourists and cultural heritage. Fietsy won the public and jury prize and went home with a start-up investment.

Because we choose a different approach than the existing providers, Fietsy also has its own face. No shiny happy people, but a smudged face with mud and rain. Because it is different, it draws attention and the honesty of the image gets immediate sympathy.

Discovering at your own pace. With E-bikes you travel distances that are normally reserved for bus, train or car. In addition, you can see and feel more on the bike: the free smell of manure, fresh air poisoning and summer showers in your face. We want to give tourists the chance to feel truly ‘like a local’. And we think following a tour guide with a herd of other tourists, is not the way to do it.

Instead, we’ve created an app filled with different tours to provide you with a lot of cool, unexpected and unique places. Tours called: ‘Bunkers & Beaches’, ‘Arty Party’ and ‘Dutch Dikes & Water’. You set your own pace and the duration of your stay while the app shows you the way.

Fietsy won the first prize in a startup innovation competition organized by the Dutch government. The jury praises Fietsy for offering a creative and feasible solution for spreading the vast flow of tourists. Amsterdam is becoming more and more popular. Today, more than 7 million tourists visit this city of of only 800,000 inhabitants, and that number will only increase. With its location between beaches, castles, bunkers and secret tea gardens, Amsterdam offers so much more than just the city center; Fietsy unlocks all this beauty for the modern tourist.

In addition to the innovation competition, Fietsy also won gold at the European Design Awards (EDA).

This project is still developing and has been set up in collaboration with the Province of North Holland, Founded in Holland and the Municipality of Amsterdam / Amsterdam Marketing. Want to know more about developments around Fietsy or do you want to become partner? Please contact us.

The concept was established in collaboration with Annelies Termeer, for the development we work with The Main Ingredient.