Fresh from the streets of Bogata, Colombia, the global cycling-for-coupons app Biko launched last month in Vancouver, its first foray to a primarily English-speaking city.
The free app takes each kilometre a person pedals or walks and turns it into rewards that can be cashed in at local businesses or donated to charity. These are known as "bikos."
"Cyclists can redeem their bikos for rewards at local businesses, from restaurants to hotels, or donate them to charities participating in the campaign," reads a statement from the creators. "Users can earn a digital coin called a “biko” for every kilometre they pedal."
Bikos can be donated to six participating charities, including, Imagine 1 Day, HUB, Paws for Hope, Beauty Night, Children’s Wish Foundation, Zajac Ranch and United Way.
They can be redeemed at Vancouver businesses like Nuba restaurant, breweries such as Big Rock, Granville Island, Yaletown, Red Truck and Steel Toad, bike retailers like Reckless and the Bike Doctor, the Vancouver Art Gallery, Rocanini coffee roaster, Modo, the Juice Truck and more.
“Although Biko users can turn kilometres biked into rewards earned from local businesses, we believe many will choose to donate their bikos to a local charity in need," said Enrique Cuellar, the app's CEO and co-founder.
The more bikos a charity receives, the higher its share of a $25,000 donation from Pacific Blue Cross.
Get active for a good cause with the new @BikoApp ! Donate your pedal power for free to United Way https://t.co/PQbCZ0T6vG
— United Way (@UWLM) September 29, 2016
The app also features mapping routes, bike shops and average cycling speed as well as a calculator that shows the carbon emissions that have been saved by not driving a car the same distance. In turn, according to the news release, this data is used by Biko to track urban biking behaviour and share that with city planners.
“In Bogota, Medellin and Mexico City, Biko has garnered 74,088 users who have cycled 7,759,000 kilometres, which is the equivalent of 194 trips around the world,” said co-founder Emilio Pombo.
Starting in Bogota, Biko now has a network of more than 100 Latin American companies, from restaurants to gyms, pharmacies, book shops, movie theatres and supermarkets.
