Lawrence Leuschner Founder of TIER Mobility will donate 100% of his shares and exit proceeds via Founders Pledge

Tier Mobility CEO and Co-founder Lawrence Leuschner has announced he has given away 100% of his shares in the mobility startup, via Founders Pledge – to Blue Impact Ventures an impact investment vehicle which he has founded. The Blue Impact website makes it’s mission clear: “We invest and support teams, that have the vision to tackle real challenges with impact for the environment as well as in public health, democracy, nutrition, and transportation”.

Lawrence had been introduced last year to Founders Pledge, an organization for founders to pledge a certain % of their exit returns to impactful projects or organizations at the point of liquidity which he really resonated with.

Lawrence Leuschner TIER Mobility Founders Pledge

Lawrence said “On the 9th of March this year, I signed my Founders Pledge commitment to transfer all my shares in TIER to“ Blue / Impact ”. Blue / Impact is my personal investment vehicle for backing and supporting the next generation of impact entrepreneurs. Over the past years, the vehicle has invested in early-stage rounds of some of Europe’s most ambitious founders looking to make serious dents in the UN sustainable development goals. Amongst others, we supported companies looking to improve health care, provide nutritious food solutions, develop more energy-efficient production processes and track CO2 emissions”.

Many people are working their finger to the bone day in, day out, chasing the startup dream fixated on hitting an elusive home run. If we are being totally honest very few are genuinely totally mission-driven and the motivation for most is usually primarily centred around “F You” money, some salivate at the thought of all of the luxury things that could buy, some the respect and status that could come with it, whilst others are as ostentatious and just want the personal freedom.

Tier Mobility isn’t Lawrence’s first rodeo, having previously built the re-commerce startup reBuy.

Most people who have been through a successful startup journey and/or exit will quickly realise that most of the material things do not bring you happiness or respect, it may be counter-intuitive but there are actually often net negatives. I strongly believe the biggest startup exit you can have is the knowledge, experience and resulting impact you can have for others, be it sharing knowledge or capital with others, but I guess it comes down to the individual and their stage in life, priorities, motivations, and as Lawrence stated “the sources from which I derive personal happiness and satisfaction”

In explaining his own rationale for the release of his shares Lawrence explained that “Freedom is the most important luxury in my personal value system, and I discovered that money does not help me attain it. In fact, the opposite might be more reflective of reality. As the excitement and glory of new acquisitions dims with use, the costs and mental capacity required to manage, care for and maintain physical possessions far outweighs the initial enjoyment.

Eventually, objects become shackles and what you own ends up owning you. I’ve learned this firsthand by spending some of the best time in my life surfing the world on less than €1,000 a month while living in a van. Being close to nature, the spontaneity and carefreeness I experienced brought me unparalleled levels of satisfaction and I didn’t feel like anything was missing”

Some may say this is great storytelling and PR for his investment vehicle, but Lawrence made it clear he isn’t virtue signalling and he said he will not personally benefit from any success “The “evergreen” structure of the vehicle will assure that all proceeds will be re-deployed back into the fund with no payouts permitted for my personal wealth”

I have always been very vocal in how I feel most scooter startups are a bit fluffy and also that I believe most VC’s lost their mind with deploying so much capital into them, but one thing is now for sure, I now do hope Tier go all the way as I resonate with, admire and respect Lawrence’s serenity, whilst I’m very inspired by his conviction and what he stands for, to make the world a better place.
Kudos and onwards!

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