The Micro Success Story
«Ever found yourself thinking a distance is too short to bother with the car, yet too far to walk?»
Wim Ouboter faced this same dilemma on his trips from his Zurich apartment to his favorite sausage stand, the legendary Sternengrill. Seeking a practical solution for this short, one-kilometer journey, the Swiss entrepreneur invented the original kickboard. But turning his vision of micromobility into reality wasn't easy. With limited financial resources and no experience in the industry, he faced a daunting challenge: how do you successfully bring such a product to market?
His pronounced innovative spirit had already led Wim to a new idea: the three-wheeled kickboard — easier to ride than a skateboard, but with the same cruiser feeling. After initial hurdles, Wim partnered with sports brand K2 to successfully launch it. He used the proceeds to found his own company, Micro Mobility Systems AG, and soon the two-wheeled Micro Scooter took off — selling 80,000 units a day and over 30 million within a year.
Just one year later, the scooter sales collapsed completely. The market was flooded with copycats — over 500 factories replicated Wim's Micro Scooter, sparking a ruthless price war. Wim's strategy: innovation. He developed the Mini Micro, a colorful version of the kickboard for children. Today, Micro offers over 100 different mobility products for all ages, sold successfully in more than 80 countries.
In 2013, Micro launched the eMicro one — the first E-scooter on the market. Compact, lightweight and motion-controlled, it won multiple awards. The experience gained since then has shaped our entire electric product line.
In 2015, Wim's sons Oliver and Merlin began developing the electric city car Microlino. With over 36,000 reservations worldwide and series production starting in late 2022, the Microlino is now taking Europe by storm.
In 2020, Fast Company ranked Micro the 5th most innovative company in Europe — a recognition previously awarded to brands like Apple, Novartis and Spotify. That same year, Oliver and Merlin were named on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list, honoring young innovators and entrepreneurs shaping the future of business and society.
In 2021, Micro developed a sustainable children's scooter line manufactured using recycled ocean plastic, donating 1% of ECO line sales to non-profit organizations dedicated to environmental protection.
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Micro Scooter in 2022, the Swiss company launched the nostalgic "Micro Navigator" in a unique retro design. In 2024, Micro unveiled the Mini & Maxi Micro Glow series — scooters with a revolutionary design that powers their glow purely through sunlight, no batteries required.
In 2025, Micro developed the Rock & Go — the world's first rocking scooter. This 2-in-1 innovation transforms over time from a rocker into a Mini Micro Scooter, completely tool-free. The product has already been nominated for several prestigious awards, including the Focus Open International Design Award, the German Top 10 Toy Award, and the Toy of the Year 2026 Award by The Toy Foundation.
