Kvadrat launches commuter car-sharing app in Ljubljana

LJUBLJANA — Local startup Kvadrat has launched its app for shared commuter rides, matching drivers who travel into Ljubljana every day with passengers going the same way. The free tier allows 4 rides a month; the "Kvadrat Plus" subscription costs €4.99 a month and removes the limit.

From the launch blog post

"Every morning 120,000 cars enter Ljubljana, most with one person inside," writes co-founder and CEO Nina Petek. "Kvadrat fills the empty seats. Passengers pay drivers a fixed share of fuel costs — about €0.07 per kilometre — and nobody makes a profit." The company has raised €850,000 from a regional fund and employs 14 people.

From the FAQ

• Do I need a subscription? No. Four rides a month are free.
• Is the driver insured? "Rides are covered by the driver's own policy, and Kvadrat provides additional protection where applicable." — this line is already being debated: users ask what "where applicable" means and whether passengers are covered at all.

Who is involved

• Nina Petek, CEO, former logistics engineer, wants to reach 20,000 users by spring.
• Gregor Vidmar, CTO and co-founder, built the matching algorithm.
• SkupajNaPot, a bigger competitor from Maribor with 300,000 users, says its service is free and calls paid subscriptions "a tax on commuters".
• Luka Mlakar, tech journalist at the portal Tehnoskop, praises the design but asks hard questions about insurance and data.
• Ljubljana Cyclists' Association (president Tina Kos) argues the city should invest in bike lanes, not "more cars with better occupancy".
• Beta users (1,200 people over three months): some love saving €60 a month, others complain about cancelled rides and few drivers outside peak hours.

Key facts and numbers

• Free tier: 4 rides/month; Plus: €4.99/month.
• 1,200 beta testers, 4.1 average rating.
• Average beta ride: 23 km, 31 minutes.
• Target: 20,000 users within six months.

What happens next

Kvadrat promised to clarify the insurance wording within a week. Tehnoskop has asked the insurance regulator for comment. SkupajNaPot is reportedly preparing a campaign aimed at Ljubljana commuters.

This material is fictional and was created as an example for a simulation.