NOVUS secures eight-figure funding to take its electric Lightbike from Germany to California

Mobility company NOVUS has closed a double-digit million funding round, led by Berlin- and San Francisco-based venture capital firm 468 Capital. The NOVUS One is a lightweight electric two-wheeler that sits somewhere between an e-bike, a scooter, and a motorcycle. Designed for everyday urban travel, it combines the straightforward operation of an electric bicycle with the speed and performance of a motorcycle, without a clutch or conventional gears. Founded in 2019, the Braunschweig-based company began delivering its first vehicle to European customers in spring 2026. I spoke with co-founders René Renger, CEO, and Hannes A. H. Krieger, Chief Strategy Officer, to find out more. From a university design project to a mobility startup NOVUS was founded by Renger, a former Volkswagen designer who worked on the Golf 8 and ID. Buzz. Renger grew up in a small town in central Germany, about an hour from the nearest major city. “The first thing you did when you turned 16 was get a small mo