Blacklane Secures Major Investment from Gargash Group and Mercedes-Benz Mobility

Recommandation : Déployer le nouvel investissement pour approfondir la couverture régionale et accélérer l'intégration des commerçants tout en améliorant l'expérience utilisateur dans les villes principales. Le plan se concentre sur l'expansion régionale, en s'appuyant sur l'engagement du Groupe Gargash et de Mercedes-Benz Mobility pour accélérer les progrès. Please align milestones with a focus on onboarding, occupant comfort, and transparent pricing to drive trust and higher activity on the platform. The next 12 months should chart clear targets for the headquarters footprint and regional teams.

The deal unlocks an offshore financing channel to support fleet investments and regional testing programs. We expect annual milestones in fleet renewal, safety, and service reliability, resulting in quicker response times for users and merchants. The combined capital will accelerate vehicle availability, improve government-friendly compliance, and support continued product testing across markets.

Headquarters will coordinate a phased expansion in the region, supported by a dedicated regional leadership team and stronger automotive services. This structure enables faster decision cycles, clearer performance metrics, and better support for merchants. The model sold value to regional partners, paving the way for scalable pilots and long-term traction.

Beyond the core region, the partnership offers a pathway to testing in korea and other markets, with an annual cadence for expansion, compliance checks, and safety certifications. The alliance will maintain a continued focus on user experience, pricing transparency, and servicing occupant needs in urban centers.

The result will be a stronger regional footprint, higher service reliability for user and occupant experiences, and a more robust pipeline of services for merchants. Please monitor progress against annual KPIs and report updates to headquarters leadership, ensuring a transparent, user-focused trajectory across the region.

Investment Structure and Rationale for Blacklane

Adopt a two-track investment package: an immediate equity injection with protective governance rights and a follow-on growth tranche tied to clear milestones. This setup accelerates execution while preserving founder control and investor protection.

The gargash anchor and Mercedes-Benz Mobility anchor the investment; sadia said the plan emphasizes product-led growth and disciplined capital deployment, with a governance charter that binds milestones to funding. This structure also provides strategic support to partners and aligns incentives across the ecosystem, bringing more momentum.

The arrangement prioritizes product development, international expansion, and real-world pilots, with exhibitors and suppliers integrated into the growth plan to accelerate network effects.

Milestones unlock the second tranche after achieving measurable targets such as onboarding key suppliers, securing strategic exhibitors, and delivering campaigns that validate the platform in real-world environments.

Protection and governance form a core spine: board representation, protective provisions on related-party deals, audits, and a disciplined reporting cadence backed by systems and tools for risk management and data protection.

That focus on innovations and placing operations on a real-world campaign track will help the global network scale and strengthen relationships in the industrial ecosystem. to please the founders and investors alike, the plan enshrines a straightforward process with clear escalation paths and documented decision rights. Translates from a wooden-board decision model to a streamlined governance framework, speeding cycles and clarifying accountabilities.

Key Financing Components

Proposed structure numbers (illustrative): investors receive 25-35% post-money equity; founders retain 65-75%. A growth tranche of 15-25% of post-money is released in two steps upon milestones. Board representation includes 2 seats for investors and 1 independent observer. Liquidation preference is 1x non-participating. Use of proceeds: 40% product and platform development, 30% go-to-market with exhibitors and suppliers, 20% governance and risk management, 10% working capital.

Governance and Value Protection

Governance framework keeps decision-making lean while safeguarding value: a joint steering committee, quarterly reviews, and a formal risk assessment tool. Information rights, audit rights, IP protection, and data governance ensure compliance across regions. Change-of-control provisions and a defined path to liquidity balance speed with discipline, protecting value for Blacklane, gargash, and MB Mobility.

Partnership Dynamics with Gargash Group and Mercedes-Benz Mobility

Adopt a unified customer-first line across Gargash Group and Mercedes-Benz Mobility, with a quarterly cadence of joint campaigns and a clear expansion plan for the middle region. This focus strengthens customer touchpoints, aligns on aftersales services, and accelerates adoption through flexible financing options like freedompays.

Gargash Group brings market access, localized knowledge, and a robust retail network, while Mercedes-Benz Mobility contributes data-driven customer insights, lending tools, and scalable digital services. The pairing strengthens the industry by marrying local depth with mobility platforms that support youth and enterprise segments alike.

To translate strategy into outcomes, implement concrete actions: limited editions of models for arabias market, a ramped series of campaigns, and service expansion that safeguards quality. The joint program should deliver a 15% lift in new customer registrations in the first year and expand service centers by three hubs. The plan also covers manufacturing support for regional assembly lines, with machinery upgrades to maintain reliability.

Growth Plan: Regional Expansion and Market Priorities

Recommendation: Establish a dedicated Growth Center in dubais to drive regional expansion, with a three-market focus on Korea, GCC, and select European markets. Align budgets for phased pilots, moving teams between markets to share innovations and maintain strong performance. Create a center of excellence for events and corporate services, emphasizing a seamless user experience for visitors and enterprise clients. Please ensure quick decision rights and clear accountability to sustain confidence with partners and stakeholders, including sadia and cherys who coordinate outreach and technology integration. they coordinate with sadia and cherys to ensure consistent implementation.

Market priorities

• Korea: Focus on corporate travel, hospitality partnerships, and government programs; target 25 enterprise contracts in 12 months; integrate with local payment rails and booking channels for a smooth user experience.
• GCC markets (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Saudi Arabia): Prioritize large events, hotels, and corporate travel; expand to two airport lounges and three landmark venues; build a regional team aligned with local regulations; facilities design includes wooden finishes in dubais lounges to create premium ambiance and a clear center of service.
• Europe: Target UK and Germany initially; sign on 15 mid-market clients in 12 months; adapt to local compliance and invoicing standards; explore partnerships with corporate travel managers.
• Industries: Prioritize corporate travel, hospitality, events, professional services, and healthcare; create industry-specific service bundles and SLA packages to improve conversion and retention.
• Partnerships and collaboration: sadia leads regional partnerships; cherys supports technical integration and product alignment to ensure joint go-to-market and faster value creation.

Execution and metrics

1. Establish the Growth Center in dubais, assign sadia as Regional Partnerships Lead, and allocate cherys for platform integration; set clear RACI and a 90-day plan; align with HQ on governance.
2. Launch 2 pilots in Korea and GCC within 90–120 days; aim for a 10–15% increase in new-booking share from these markets in the first year; implement weekly reviews to track progress and adjust tactics.
3. Élargir à l'Europe après des pilotes réussis ; exécuter des cycles de test de 3 à 4 mois au Royaume-Uni et en Allemagne, avec un objectif de croissance de 5–7% mois sur mois dans les réservations provenant de ces marchés pour les six premiers mois.
4. Excellence opérationnelle : établir des procédures opérationnelles standard, des tableaux de bord de performance et une boucle de rétroaction centrée sur le client ; surveiller l'expérience utilisateur, la satisfaction et le score net promoteur ; utiliser les données pour guider les innovations produits et la création de services.
5. Stratégie pour les visiteurs et les événements : partenarier avec 5 grands événements la première année ; concevoir des forfaits exclusifs de prise en charge/dépose pour les visiteurs afin de réduire les frictions et augmenter les conversions.

Utilisation Opérationnelle des Fonds : Jalons à Court Terme et KPI

Placez immédiatement les fonds dans trois voies ciblées : campagnes et médias, gouvernance et approvisionnement, et améliorations de la fabrication axées sur la durabilité. Ces investissements sont limités dans le temps, avec les premiers jalons fixés dans les 90 jours et un alignement complet d'ici la fin de l'année. Veuillez vous assurer que ces efforts se déroulent ensemble avec une propriété claire et un langage simple pour les rapports entre les équipes. Cette approche maintient le nom de marque blacklanes cohérent à tous les points de contact et crée un langage de reporting qui est simple et parfait pour les examens des dirigeants.

Short-Term Milestones

1. Campaigns and media – Place funds into 4 campaigns across key markets; target 60 million impressions in the first 60 days, 2.5% engagement, and cost per click under $1.20; expand to 6 campaigns by month 6 to support a growing brand presence in these places and stay ahead in the race to scale.
2. Governance and sourcing – Establish quarterly governance reviews; add 5 new sourcing partners to reduce supply risk; define terms for supplier performance and sustainability criteria; implement a single vendor scorecard by month 3.
3. Manufacturing and energy – Pilot energy-saving measures in 2 plants; aim to reduce energy use per unit by 8% by month 6; monitor units sold and production yield; complete lean training in 3 lines to improve efficiency while limiting disruption.
4. Events and partnerships – Participate in 3 industry events to capture high-quality leads; measure conversion to customers and partners; ensure name consistency and messaging language across campaigns and events.

KPIs and Tracking

• Media performance: reach and impressions (target 120 million across campaigns in 12 months), average engagement 2.5%, and cost per acquisition below $20.
• Sales and expansion: track units sold (target 50,000 by year-end), revenue per unit, and geography expansion to 3 new places in the initial year.
• Governance and sourcing: on-time procurement rate (>95%), supplier diversity (new partners), contract compliance rate (>98%), and risk dashboard completeness.
• Manufacturing and energy: energy intensity per unit (lower by 8% by month 6; 12% by year-end), yield improvement from current baseline, defect rate reduction (below 1%), and sold units milestone progress.
• Sustainability and branding: CO2 per ride, energy from renewable sources percentage, and progress on sustainability campaigns in campaigns across youth-focused channels.
• Campaign governance metrics: speed of decision-making, stage-gate approvals within target terms, and governance cadence uptime.
• Stakeholder metrics: partner satisfaction, media tone, and youth engagement in campaigns to ensure language resonates in markets.

ISO 20400 Certification: SAB Scope and Implications

Adopt ISO 20400 as the backbone of the SAB procurement program to align supplier sustainability with business goals. Introduced a 6- to 12-month plan to map the current supplier base, assign risk tiers, and set data-quality targets. Start with a pilot covering 20 key suppliers across regions and scale to 100+ by year-end to show tangible progress, presenting quarterly results to stakeholders.

The SAB scope covers supplier onboarding, due diligence, ethical criteria, environmental and social metrics, and continuous monitoring. It is designed to guide sourcing, contracting, and supplier development, with data captured in a centralized ESG platform. It also addresses offshore sourcing and worldwide supplier networks, while supporting solutions that reduce risk and raise integrity across the portfolio.

To implement, establish a lightweight governance body, assign owners, codify policies, and run hands-on training for learners. Use intelligent analytics to score suppliers on ESG factors, risk, and performance. The model is introduced with clear data requirements, and tested in a controlled environment before scaling to full operations. This approach includes strengthening supplier collaboration and risk controls, ensuring alignment with ethical standards and long-term resilience.

Communications and engagement: present updates to merchants and media; publish case notes with bizwire to accelerate the uptake of innovations and sustainability messaging. This approach supports growth opportunities worldwide and elevates ethical, transparent procurement across the partner ecosystem. It also creates a solid foundation for phevs and other mobility solutions within our portfolio, reinforcing our commitments to sustainable mobility.

Key SAB scope components

Core elements include supplier qualification with ESG criteria and ethical sourcing, risk assessment with a formal scoring model, performance management via ESG KPIs, collaboration through joint improvement plans, transparency with regular reporting, training for internal teams and suppliers, offshore considerations on supplier data and compliance, and governance with defined roles and escalation paths.

The result is stronger supplier relationships, reduced compliance risk, and long-term value creation. The ISO 20400 alignment positions Blacklane to deliver sustainable mobility at scale by linking growth with responsible procurement practices and opening opportunities across worldwide markets through a disciplined vendor program.

Procurement Transformation: Implementing ISO 20400 Across Suppliers

Kick off ISO 20400 by creating a supplier governance round and a 12-week onboarding plan with three pilot suppliers, including gargash and partners in the kingdom and york offices. Establish a cross-functional steering committee (procurement, risk, sustainability, IT) and publish a single source of truth in the online portal to achieve perfect alignment of policy and practice across other suppliers. Track progress with weekly inquiries and a milestone calendar. This plan will create a scalable governance model.

Define a 3-tier engagement model: premium, standard, and other. Run a series of supplier assessments against ISO 20400 clauses, and map each partner to sustainability requirements. Look to past audit findings to refine criteria. In january, issue targeted inquiries and collect evidence on governance, labor practices, and environmental impact. Use a data-driven dashboard to measure collaboration, performance, and excellence across enterprises and their supply chains.

Link ISO 20400 controls to existing systems, procurement workflows, and contract templates. Build a living checklist with clear owners and milestone dates. Set exeed targets for on-time deliveries, quality, and traceability by region, with a focus on the kingdom and other key markets. Use en ligne training modules to raise capability and ensure sustainable purchasing across all suppliers.

This approach creates a collaboration network across gargash, partnerset modern enterprises. The assessment results feed into a model that raises the level of reliability and excellence in procurement. A quarterly round of reviews highlights lessons learned and creates a scalable blueprint for future expansion.