A few years ago no one would have imagined commuting to work with dockless e-scooters—another company has a dream of even a more unique form of transportation Cangaroo—smart mobility that helps commuters jump into the future of transportation..
Cangaroo’s CEO Adam Mikkelsen claims that the idea is not a hoax and he wants to change the way people move around the world through app-rented shared pogo sticks. Many media outlets have wondered if the company is a real startup or hoax. Whatever it is there are fun videos, photos and absurd media attention.
”With the pogo stick, the way we’ve branded it is as a product you can actually use for last-mile transportation,” Mikkelsen told TNW. The company claims that it is the pogos burn 15-20 kCal/min while commuting. Compared to 0,7 kCal/min while driving a car/e-scooter. The company claims pogos have a longer life span than e-scooters, they last up to couple of years while heavily used e-scooters are lucky to last two months. Our fact checking department does not believe the life span is correct the rubber tip over time does tend to wear after 434,473 jumps.
So far there have been no cities to sign up for the service from the Stockholm based company with plans to buy 100 pogo sticks to rent out in a test launch. The Canagroo sticks also can be used for fitness in such places as San Francisco’s Golden State park.
Mikkelsen also plans to launch foot-driven kick scooters in the future.
The company has a website and updated it’s news release to insure the public that Cangaroo is not a fake company.
“We feel the need to underline that Cangoroo is 100% real. Our choice of shared pogo sticks as our first product is a planned out strategy in order to stand out in today’s media landscape and build an engaging brand in the generic “last mile transportation” category. ”
But there is more confusing/amusing information, the company is in the public relations business. The founders behind Cangaroo, run the agency ODD Company with prior involvement in Y-combinator alumni Wheelys Cafe and the relaxation pod Pause Pod.
“That the team behind Cangoroo is also running a communications agency, we see as an important competitive benefit for the future of the business rather than something we try to hide from stakeholders. Naturally, we’ll soon be announcing complementary, more daily commute-focused, products to our fleet (more similar to the largely popular e-scooters and with a genuine focus on sustainability and health).”
Reading the website is very entertaining—-no passengers are allowed on the pogo sticks. Our fact checker believes it is impossible to have two sets of feet on the foot pads. Alcohol use is not recommended but helmets are encouraged.
Payments will be processed through Klarna that “gives you the power to pay your purchases in 4 equal installments and lets you shop like a queen.” Klarna’s corporate motto is “Unicorns are real.” Our fact checker also disputes the “Unicorn” claim.
The company is seeking investors and states, “We’ll soon be able to launch Cangoroo in the first four cities: Malmö, Stockholm, San Francisco and London.” Don’t forget to use the company’s hahstag–#jumpintothefuture.
The Cagaroo YouTube video launched on May 15 has received over 40,000 views with 41 thumbs up and 108 thumbs down with the claim “Bird, Lime, VOI, Tier, Glyde, Lyft, Uber: There’s a new kid in town!” Which should end with “just kidding….”