ioki enters U.S. market with first on-demand project at Georgetown University
ioki announces it has entered the U.S. market, establishing a local subsidiary and securing Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. as its first American customer. The Frankfurt-based public transport software company says the move is the first concrete step in its international growth strategy following its acquisition by Benteler earlier this year. Georgetown University will begin […]
ioki announces it has entered the U.S. market, establishing a local subsidiary and securing Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. as its first American customer.
The Frankfurt-based public transport software company says the move is the first concrete step in its international growth strategy following its acquisition by Benteler earlier this year. Georgetown University will begin using the ioki platform for a new on-demand shuttle service in October, according to information released by ioki.
The company has established its own U.S. entity and is building a local team to market its public transport software and mobility planning products. ioki says its U.S. activities will address public transport authorities and operators with solutions covering mobility simulation as well as software for on-demand and fixed-route services.
The idea for ioki was born during a visit to the U.S.; we founded and grew the company in Germany, and today ioki operates across Europe. Now we’re back, starting our first U.S. project with Georgetown University. This step into a new market shows that our platform works outside Europe too and adapts to different local mobility conditions. We see a clear opportunity to help cities and transit operators in the U.S. make individualized public transit more digital and, above all, more efficient.
Michael Barillère-Scholz, co-founder and CEO, ioki
As mentioned above, Benteler announced in January 2026 the acquisition of ioki from Deutsche Bahn, bringing the software company into an integrated structure with autonomous vehicle developer HOLON and BENTELER Mobility. Within that structure, ioki provides platform, routing and public transport integration software, while HOLON supplies autonomous vehicles and BENTELER Mobility provides operational services and fleet financing.
ioki will present its products to the U.S. public transport industry at APTA 2026 TRANSform & EXPO in Chicago, scheduled for October 5-7.
Georgetown University becomes ioki’s first U.S. customer
The first deployment will take place at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., where the ioki platform will support a new on-demand shuttle service starting in October.
The project represents ioki’s first customer operation in the United States. According to the company, further services based on the ioki Platform are expected to follow, together with mobility planning projects using ioki Analytics.
The company states that its activities in the U.S. will combine data-based transport planning and mobility simulation with its software platform for on-demand and fixed-route public transport.
According to ioki, the company has completed more than 230 planning projects in which mobility patterns and trip distances were analyzed and simulated to identify potential changes within existing public transport networks.
ioki builds U.S. operations under Benteler ownership
ioki’s entry into the United States follows its acquisition by Benteler in 2026. The deal was initially announced in January, when Benteler stated that ioki would remain vehicle- and system-agnostic in the autonomous mobility segment. At the time, ioki had more than 100 employees and had supported over 200 transport services reaching nearly 10 million passengers.
The U.S. subsidiary is now being accompanied by the creation of a local team. According to ioki, the organization will provide its public transport products in the U.S. market on a long-term basis.
The company identifies mobility simulation, digital on-demand transport and fixed-route software among the products being introduced to the market.
In brief
- What is ioki launching in the United States?
ioki has established a U.S. subsidiary and is building a local team for its public transport software activities. - Who is ioki’s first U.S. customer?
Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., which will use the ioki platform for an on-demand shuttle service starting in October. - What products is ioki bringing to the U.S.?
The company provides mobility simulation and software platforms for on-demand and fixed-route public transport. - Where will ioki present its U.S. offer?
At APTA 2026 TRANSform & EXPO in Chicago on October 5-7, together with HOLON and BENTELER Mobility.
Michael Barillère-Scholz, co-founder and CEO of ioki, said: “The idea for ioki was born during a visit to the U.S.; we founded and grew the company in Germany, and today ioki operates across Europe. Now we’re back, starting our first U.S. project with Georgetown University. This step into a new market shows that our platform works outside Europe too and adapts to different local mobility conditions. We see a clear opportunity to help cities and transit operators in the U.S. make individualized public transit more digital and, above all, more efficient.”
Tobias Liebelt, CEO of BENTELER Mobility, said: “When BENTELER acquired ioki earlier this year, we named international growth potential as a key perspective. With this U.S. market entry, we’re delivering on that. ioki is a central building block of our strategy to support cities and operators in the economic integration of autonomous mobility.”
