In Singapore, the concrete jungle goes hand-in-hand with green goals. Somewhere in between this, the bike-sharing industry exploded – experiencing its share of highs and lows. Once inundated with brightly coloured bicycles from more than a dozen bike-sharing companies, the competition has whittled down to just two today.
Sentiments on the ground have also evolved. In the place of frustrated pedestrians, cluttered public spaces, and what seemed like just more waste, is now a more collaborative ecosystem.
Part of the credit for this turnaround in Singapore’s bike-sharing industry rests with Htay Aung, Founder and CEO of Anywheel. For Htay, it was always about the sustainability of bike-sharing rather than the ambition of scaling a trending business or winning market share at all costs – and that has been a major behind Anywheel’s continued relevance and success in Singapore.
A Steep Learning Curve In The Early Days Of Bike-Sharing
In 2017, as major players in Singapore’s bike-sharing industry faced a slew of operational and financial challenges, including poorly maintained bicycles, vandalism, clutter, and public backlash, Htay joined the fray.
The aftermath of the early struggles in Singapore’s bike-sharing industry have seen at least 10 firms exiting – leaving behind a trail of bicycles and tarnished reputations.
Recognising these pitfalls From Day 1, Htay took a different path with Anywheel. Rather than chase rapid expansion, he focused on the core of his business – sustainability and operational discipline. Far from habouring ambitions to capture market share in Singapore, his motivation to start Anywheel came during a traffic accident in Australia. He wasn’t part of it, but rather found himself stuck in a car for several hours – and all the while, he saw cyclists taking over him.
Htay wanted to play the long-game, and tried to stay out of the initial hype and frenzy of deploying large fleets, or spending heavy on marketing and user acquisition promotions. He launched with a practical (and affordable) fleet size, and ensured that every bicycle could be efficiently managed and maintained. Anywheel had also avoided the deposit-based models that had angered users when companies failed to return balances upon exiting the market. This decision set Anywheel apart from competitors, and went a long way to rebuild trust in the bike-sharing industry.
Despite these strategic moves, growth was at a crawl. In 2018, revenue for the whole year came in at a miserable $5. Many of his closest family and friends advised him to stop wasting his time on Anywheel.
By mid-2019, as the fall-out in the bike-sharing industry started to pass, Anywheel gained 1,000 users. Although it was not anything to celebrate, Htay took this positively – people wanted to use bike-sharing and were seeking alternatives.
Gradually, Anywheel started ramping up fleet size, and collected user feedback on pricing. Within just a few more months, Anywheel had gained tens of thousands of users, establishing a solid foundation for expansion.
One of the company’s most significant differentiators is its user-centric pricing model. While competitors often relied on deposit-based systems that alienated customers, Anywheel introduced flexible, transparent pricing from day one. Riders are able to choose between ad-hoc rates ($1 per 30 minutes) or affordable season passes starting at $6.90.
Smarter Solutions To Navigate The Road Bumps
Understanding that user convenience and security were paramount, Htay introduced smart locks controlled via the Anywheel app. He jokingly shared that Anywheel “must be one of Singtel’s largest customers today” – because the telco chips are in every built-in lock on the bicycle enabling users to locate bicycles in real-time.
These built-in locks on every Anywheel bike eliminate the need for manual keys, which had been another source of frustration for users and theft for the bike-sharing platforms.
In 2024, the company upgraded its fleet to include more advanced features such as better ergonomics, more durable materials, and more energy-efficient tracking systems. These improvements weren’t just about user satisfaction—they were also designed to address operational inefficiencies, such as the difficulty of retrieving misplaced or damaged bicycles.
The organisation also adopted cutting-edge maintenance practices, using predictive analytics to monitor fleet performance. This approach minimised downtime and optimised resource allocation, allowing Anywheel to serve more riders without significantly increasing costs.
Leveraging On The Pandemic-Fuelled Demand
The COVID-19 pandemic created unprecedented challenges for transportation providers worldwide. Htay and Anywheel turned this crisis into an opportunity. As public transportation became less appealing due to social distancing concerns, bike-sharing was increasingly seen as a safer alternative for commuting.
Htay capitalised on this trend by securing government approval to continue operating during the circuit-breaker period.
In 2020, Anywheel’s ridership grew by 30% month-on-month. As a plus, the company also played a crucial role in supporting essential workers who relied on bicycles for their daily commutes. By the end of the year, the organisation recorded over a million rides, covering millions of kilometres islandwide.
This period underscored Anywheel’s ability to adapt quickly to changing circumstances, reinforcing the company’s reputation as a reliable and forward-thinking bike-sharing service provider.
However, like all bike-sharing operators, Anywheel also faced issues with theft and vandalism. At the peak of this period, up to 3,000 bicycles were lost or damaged due to irresponsible usage.
Htay Aung has a two-pronged strategy to manage this: enhancing technology and increasing enforcement. As the company deployed smart locks with anti-theft mechanisms and implemented tracking systems to quickly locate misplaced bikes. Additionally, a team of full-time and part-time enforcers was hired to monitor compliance and deter misuse.
These efforts have paid off, as shown in today’s theft and vandalism rates being at an all-time low, which allowed the organisation to focus on expansion and service improvements.
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A Vision For Sustainable Growth
With sustainability at the heart of Htay Aung’s vision for Anywheel, the company plays a significant role in reducing Singapore’s carbon footprint – offering a practical alternative to cars. Htay estimates that Anywheel has saved 44 million tonnes of carbon emissions to date, equivalent to planting two million fully-grown trees.
Individuals can also see their personal contributions to these metrics on their personal Anywheel app.
Beyond its environmental efforts, the organisation has also been deeply involved in community-programmes. It has partnered local organisations like the Singapore Cycling Federation to promote cycling as a lifestyle. Special event collaborations, such as providing family-friendly rides during the Tour de France Singapore Criterium have also further elevated public engagement with the brand.
Htay aims to align the company’s mission with Singapore’s broader urban planning goals. With the government investing heavily in cycling infrastructure—including dedicated paths and over 20,000 parking stations islandwide by the LTA – the bike-sharing model is poised to integrate even more closely into Singapore’s transport network.
Since 2024, the company has partnered with SBS Transit to enhance first- and last-mile connectivity for commuters in Singapore, which is a critical step toward creating a seamless public transportation experience. Through this collaboration, commuters using the SBS Transit app can reserve an Anywheel bicycle located near bus stops up to 30 minutes in advance. This new feature aims to address the common issue of bicycle unavailability during peak hours and provides users with greater reliability in planning their journeys home or to work.
The partnership aligns with Singapore’s push for sustainable urban mobility, offering commuters a convenient and eco-friendly alternative to cars for short distances. It also integrates technology to optimise accessibility, as users can view bike availability in real-time and ensure a smooth transition between modes of transport.
Bringing His Sustainable Urban Mobility To Other Countries
Today, Htay Aung’s ambitions extend beyond Singapore. Anywheel is already in Thailand. Recently, the company had to pivot its solutions in Thailand by moving away from e-scooters to concentrate more on its bike-sharing services.
While e-scooters are still widely-used in Thailand, Htay Aung’s decision is more aligned with environmental goals. He has also seen local preferences shift to bike-sharing for short-distance travel in urban centres. This move also allows Anywheel to optimise its resources and deploy its innovations more seamlessly.
Looking ahead, Anywheel plans to expand to additional Southeast Asian markets. As the company is set to expand into its third Southeast Asian market, with Indonesia emerging as a potential next stop. The company’s expansion strategy is focused on tapping into regions where urbanisation and environmental awareness create strong demand for bike-sharing services.
Htay believes that Anywheel’s role is not merely functional but transformational. By fostering a cycling-friendly environment, the organisation is helping to redefine what it means to live sustainably in a modern city.
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