Rouvy will close Bkool as a standalone platform
After acquiring Bkool earlier this year, Rouvy announced today that the Spanish-based virtual cycling platform will cease to operate as a standalone entity as of the end of November.
In a press release announcing the decision, Rouvy said that after acquiring Bkool it "entered a strategic learning period to evaluate users' needs, platform reliability, and long-term sustainability," ultimately determining that the multi-platform structure is no longer financially viable. Instead, Rouvy will "focus fully on further developing the Rouvy app, while integrating selected technical capabilities from Bkool into the Rouvy platform."
Chris Schwenker
Bkool’s ability to convert GPX files into immersive 3D routes is a strong complement to Rouvy’s recently launched Route Creator tool, giving users more ways to bring real-world routes indoors. Bkool’s strong user base in France and Denmark, along with its loyal riders worldwide, can begin transitioning their subscriptions to Rouvy today.
"I want to assure both Bkool and Rouvy users that our plans to bring some of Bkool’s most popular features and capabilities to Rouvy remain unchanged," said Rouvy CEO and co-founder Petr Samek in the press release.
The news isn’t as positive for Bkool staff. Although employees were notified in advance, Rouvy expects only about 20% will have the chance to transfer and support integration efforts. The remaining employees will receive career transition support.
