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Markus Villig
CEO at Bolt - We're hiring!
Markus Villig, born in 1993, is an Estonian entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of Bolt, a global mobility company.15 Bolt offers ride-sharing, electric scooter rentals, and food delivery services.1 Villig launched Bolt in 2013 after finishing high school, using a €5,000 loan from his family.15 He briefly studied Computer Science at the University of Tartu in 2013 but left to focus on Bolt.15
Under Villig's leadership, Bolt has expanded to over 50 countries and 600 cities, serving over 200 million customers.24 As of January 2022, Bolt was valued at $8.4 billion.1 Villig has received several awards, including Forbes 30 under 30 in the Baltics (2016), the presidential award for Best Young Entrepreneur in Estonia, and EY's Estonian Entrepreneur of the Year in 2018.135 In November 2022, he was recognized as a Partner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Estonia for his support of Ukraine.1
Highlights
Excited to unveil hundreds of new EVs on Bolt this year! ⚡
Electric cars have lower operating costs compared to ICE vehicles, making them ideal for high-utilization ride-hailing. However, their high upfront costs are a barrier for many drivers.
To overcome this, we're partnering with fleet owners to co-finance EVs, bringing them to the first 10 cities in 2024 and scaling up next year. 🚗🌍
PS: You can find it them in the app under #Electric or #Green.
Greetings from Kyiv! 👋
I'd just arrived from a 25 hour drive when Russia launched one of the largest missile strikes of the last year. They hit numerous targets including the children's hospital just 2 km from our hotel. Luckily me and the team are safe, despite more strikes over the next 48 hours.
The only silver lining was seeing how this war also brings out the best in people. Hundreds of people including some of our team were already working on the damages when I got there, despite the ongoing sirens. We also donated 2.5 million hryvnia (ca €55K) to the hospital.
It was inspiring to meet the Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov to discuss how Bolt and Estonia can even further help Ukraine. Their young team has built one of the most advanced digital governments in the world.
Following the news is one thing, but being there on the ground makes it clear – Ukraine is not only fighting for their freedom, but for all of Europe. Slava Ukraini! 🇺🇦
