• Mission

The New Mobility Foundation was founded in December 2016 as an initiative of Major Alliance, Royal RAI Association and Noaber Foundation. This new foundation will act as a facilitator of projects aimed at tackling transport poverty, which vulnerable citizens in our society, such as the elderly, disabled, low incomes and refugees are more likely to suffer from.
We believe that innovative digital means are the way to tackle the long-standing issue of transport poverty and its negative side effects such as social isolation, loss of education and job opportunities and physical health. Also, we believe that digital means are beneficial for safe and sustainable transport. That is why the New Mobility Foundation aligns with at least two of the seventeen UN Sustainable Development Goals:

11.2 Provide safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all, notably vulnerable citizens;

3.6 By 2020, halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents.

The Sustainable Development Goals work in the spirit of partnership and pragmatism to make the right choices now to improve life; in a sustainable way; and for future generations.

Transport poverty is a relatively new and complex term, however the reality of it and the implications of being immobile are much more straightforward. That is, physical and mental health as well as opportunities for education and employment are not self-evident when being immobile.

Citizens are seen to suffer from transport poverty when:

• They do not have access to transport which is suitable to their physical condition and capabilities;
• The existing transport does not allow them to fulfil their daily activities or allow them to access education, health or employment;
• The weekly amount spent on transport leaves the household with an income below the official poverty line;
• The travel conditions are dangerous or perceived dangerous to the individual.

These conditions have very negative side effects, such as social isolation, decreased opportunities for education and unemployment and decline in physical and mental health. The New Mobility Foundation is aware of the many challenges these vulnerable citizens face in their daily lives, and therefore supports initiatives that benefit these citizens in the best possible way.

Source

The New Mobility Foundation is unique in its identity: its founders come from both commercial (Royal RAI Association) and charitable (Noaber Foundation) organisations. This places the NMF in a position in which it can maximise its impact by benefiting from the varied expertise of its board members. To do this, the NMF has identified the need to place innovation and ICT’s at the core of its principles. It is the NMF’s belief that technology will lead the fight against transport poverty and ensure that vulnerable citizens reap the rewards of staying mobile such as increased health, avoidance of social isolation and the chance for increased opportunity for education and employment.

To realize these ambitions, the New Mobility will act as a trusted and independent facilitator of innovative projects directed at our target groups, that make use of digital means. As a facilitator, our project-support consists of the following means:
• Financial resources: an initial budget of 500.000 euros;
• Network: alignment with relevant public and private stakeholders, like universities, research institutes, NGO’s and companies;
• Information centre: relevant research, publications, thesis awards.

At the New Mobility Foundation we are interested in projects that expand inclusive mobility. In order to achieve project-support, projects have to meet our criteria. Learn more about our criteria here.