Can you never find a scooter to rent when you need one? Here’s a radical idea. Buy one. While Bird, Lime, Skip, Scoot, Uber, Lyft and more compete for on-demand micromobility, a new startup invented a vehicle worthy of ownership. The Unagi looks downright futuristic with its classy paint jobs, foldable body, LED screen, and built-in lights. The ride feels sturdy, strong, and responsive while being light enough at 24lbs to lug up subway stairs or the flights to your home.
That’s why Unagi has become a hit with musicians like Kendrick Lamar, Chance The Rapper, Halsey, Steve Aoki, and teen pop megastar Billie Eilish, who use the scooter to rip around the empty venues as they soundcheck before concerts. Paparazzi shots of those moments have spurred demand for the $990 dual motor and $840 single motor Unagis, with co-founder David Hyman telling me the startup can’t make them fast enough but it’s ramping up production.
To fuel the fervor for the scooter before it’s inevitably copied by cheap knock-offs, Unagi has raised a $3.15 million seed round led by Menlo Ventures. Building on its $750,000 in Kickstarter, angel, and founder-contributed funding, the cash will go …read more
Source:: TechCrunch Gadgets