Accelerating social impact
The Bolt Urban Fund supports charitable third-sector partnerships that promote sustainable, inclusive transport planning, empower driver and courier partners on the platform, and engage with local communities where Bolt operates.
Why the Urban Fund exists
Shared mobility has the power to positively transform cities. But there’s always more we can do.
The Urban Fund supports projects that bring Bolt’s mission to life: cities for people, not cars and helps empower the key stakeholders working to make this shift a reality.
The initiative involves partnerships with academic institutions, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), city authorities, and local communities while leveraging our people and technology to drive meaningful change in urban environments worldwide.
The Urban Fund supports projects that bring Bolt’s mission to life: cities for people, not cars and helps empower the key stakeholders working to make this shift a reality.
The initiative involves partnerships with academic institutions, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), city authorities, and local communities while leveraging our people and technology to drive meaningful change in urban environments worldwide.
The three pillars of the Urban Fund
By dividing the social impact projects we support between three pillars, we ensure that the urban environment and local communities all benefit.
Pillar 1: Sustainable Urban Living
Funding cutting-edge, data-driven research to help cities solve pressing transport problems and accelerate sustainable urban mobility.
Pillar 2: Economic Empowerment
Supporting the ambitions of driver and courier partners through financial assistance, language learning, and skills training.
Pillar 3: Community and Emergency Support
Contributing to charitable projects that seek to improve the economy, society, or environment in the 600+ cities where Bolt operates.
Pillar 1: The Sustainable Urban Transitions Lab
The Sustainable Urban Transitions Lab is a research hub that collaborates with leading academics at ETH Zurich, a public research university.
Through this collaboration, Bolt will provide funding and data that help turn theory into practical solutions for tackling transport challenges in towns and cities with limited time and resources.
The Lab began its work in April 2025 with projects in Seville and Hannover ↗, analysing ways to optimise planned investments in public transport infrastructure and mobility hubs.
In the long term, the Lab aims to help more cities redesign their streets for a more sustainable urban life, prioritising people over cars, creating vibrant main streets, expanding bike lanes, repurposing parking spaces, improving connections to public transport, and making micromobility easier to use.
Through this collaboration, Bolt will provide funding and data that help turn theory into practical solutions for tackling transport challenges in towns and cities with limited time and resources.
The Lab began its work in April 2025 with projects in Seville and Hannover ↗, analysing ways to optimise planned investments in public transport infrastructure and mobility hubs.
In the long term, the Lab aims to help more cities redesign their streets for a more sustainable urban life, prioritising people over cars, creating vibrant main streets, expanding bike lanes, repurposing parking spaces, improving connections to public transport, and making micromobility easier to use.
Pillar 2: Bolt Accelerator Programme
The Bolt Accelerator Programme provides driver and courier partners with seed funding for business ideas and tailored online skills training.
The programme has supported 30 start-up business ideas pitched by driver and courier partners, including a mobile app connecting users with spare parts, a business creating charging stations for electric vehicles, and various fleet management businesses.
A further 360 drivers and couriers have participated in the Bolt Academy skills development programme.
Following its successful launch in Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya, the Accelerator Programme has now expanded to South Africa and, most recently, to Estonia.
The programme has supported 30 start-up business ideas pitched by driver and courier partners, including a mobile app connecting users with spare parts, a business creating charging stations for electric vehicles, and various fleet management businesses.
A further 360 drivers and couriers have participated in the Bolt Academy skills development programme.
Following its successful launch in Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya, the Accelerator Programme has now expanded to South Africa and, most recently, to Estonia.
“I was the only female finalist in the Bolt Accelerator Programme from Benin City, Edo State. I saw a gap in the local ride-hailing ecosystem — too few female drivers. My idea was to empower women through a female-led fleet. With support from the programme, I launched Modimap Transport Limited and bought an additional car to help more women overcome the barrier of vehicle access.”
Jennifer Latifu Modinatu, Nigeria
Making mobility accessible to refugees
In partnership with The Bike Project ↗, Bolt supports the organisation’s mission to refurbish bikes and donate them to refugees in the UK.
As part of this effort, several Driver Hubs now serve as bike drop-off points, and we regularly encourage donations through the app.
As part of this effort, several Driver Hubs now serve as bike drop-off points, and we regularly encourage donations through the app.
Financial support during emergencies
Should an emergency or natural disaster occur in a city where Bolt operates, we respond quickly to support the local community.
Following the invasion of Ukraine, we donated ↗ 5% of every order made in the Bolt and Bolt Food apps to non-governmental organisations helping Ukraine. The total donation exceeded €5 million.
During the catastrophic flooding in Kenya, we introduced the Flood Assist ride-type ↗ in the Bolt app. In collaboration with Kenya Red Cross, 5% of every Flood Assist order went towards supporting the victims.
We also recently supported Red Cross relief efforts following the significant earthquake in Thailand.
Following the invasion of Ukraine, we donated ↗ 5% of every order made in the Bolt and Bolt Food apps to non-governmental organisations helping Ukraine. The total donation exceeded €5 million.
During the catastrophic flooding in Kenya, we introduced the Flood Assist ride-type ↗ in the Bolt app. In collaboration with Kenya Red Cross, 5% of every Flood Assist order went towards supporting the victims.
We also recently supported Red Cross relief efforts following the significant earthquake in Thailand.
Help to make cities for people, not cars
Strong partnerships allow us to extend our impact further, benefiting urban environments and their communities.
If you'd like to partner with Bolt to develop a charitable project, please send us your idea.
If you'd like to partner with Bolt to develop a charitable project, please send us your idea.
