Parkl
About this good practice
The busy, sometimes even hectic urban commute and its challenges have become a part of everyday life – for drivers in Budapest, parking causes one of the biggest problems. Parkl offers a solution through an application which makes it stress-free and convenient.
The concept of Parkl – which came up as a spark of an idea in 2016 – started off in 2017, with only the off-street parking feature available back then. Now with three features (on- and off-street parking and electric charging), Parkl aims to give a useful tool to everyone who is dedicated to do something for a sustainable future and convenient urban commuting.
By using Parkl, drivers can have knowledge about and access to parking lots that were previously unavailable, e.g. at office buildings, apartment complexes, hotels, blocks of flats and private parking garages. On the supply side of the equation, Parkl’s business partners earn extra income for sharing their spots through the app – they can decide how many places they want to provide and also when and for how long they can share them (sharing is possible even for short periods during the day). The drivers can open the entrance of the parking lot via the application and pay based on the number of minutes parked.
Overall, Parkl is handy for making parking easier for drivers and turning empty parking spaces into a source of income for Parkl partners – this practice tackles a communal problem by offering a solution that creates a win-win situation for both sides.
Resources needed
Investors have provided more than 230 million HUF for this startup at its inception. Parkl used this money to develop an IT system: a mobile app and hardware to control parking lot gates. Their income consists of a convenience fee per parking lot and commissions (%) from the generated traffic.
Evidence of success
Parkl has started with only five test sites. In 2018 – after having two promotion days for free – they have managed to gather 10,000 registrations in only two weeks. Now they have 26,000 users and are planning to expand throughout Hungary. The next step after that could be to enter the international market, either on their own or with a partner – this is also what the investors expect from them in the long run.
Potential for learning or transfer
Creating a similar system is resource-intensive, but it’s not impossible. Cooperation with the company is also an option: they offer a package for (1) parking lots, hotels, shopping malls, outdoor car parks and apartment buildings & (2) companies, SMEs, office building owners and operators. The first – Parkl Connect – maximizes business capacities by integrating smart parking and e-mobility services into one system. The second – Parkl Business – provides corporate solutions for modern business development, user experience, fleet, and employee management.
Further information
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Good practice owner
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