Why business campuses like Ülemiste City choose smart bike parking

A business campus wants people to arrive by bike. Car parking takes up land that could hold another building, and tenants want an office their staff enjoy coming to.

Then comes the first question every cyclist asks. Will my bike still be there at six?

On most campuses the honest answer is "probably". That isn't good enough for someone leaving a high-end e-bike outside for nine hours. Secure parking decides whether people cycle to a campus at all.

Ülemiste City, a business district next to the airport in Tallinn, Estonia, answered that question with a campus-wide network of Bikeep smart bike parking stations. This article covers what it built, what changed, and why e-bike charging and e-scooter parking are the next step.

Why don't standard bike racks work on a business campus?

Because a rack leaves all the security to the rider's own lock.

A cheap lock can be cut in seconds. A good one slows a thief down, but a rack in a quiet corner gives them time. Many riders decide the risk isn't worth it and leave the bike at home.

Racks also tell the campus nothing. The operator can't see how full they are, which bikes are abandoned, or where more capacity is needed.

E-bikes make the gap wider. They cost more, they are heavier, and their riders want to charge them at work.

What does smart bike parking change for a campus operator?

It moves the lock from the rider to the property, and it puts the whole network on one screen.

The operator sees every station, dock and parking session live in the Bikeep Console. The campus plans its parking from usage data instead of complaints.

How did Ülemiste City set up its network?

Ülemiste City is a privately developed business campus with more than 400 companies. About 18,000 people work, study and live there.

Its developer aims for a car-free city center by 2030. Bike theft on the campus stood in the way.

After weighing several options, Ülemiste chose to promote bike commuting as the most effective answer. People needed to feel safe leaving a bike for a full workday, and traditional racks were judged not secure enough. So Ülemiste built a campus-wide network of Bikeep stations, free for every rider.

As of September 2026, the network has 26 live stations with 239 docks. They stand outside offices, a gym, a health center, a supermarket, a science center and a parking garage. When the Ülemiste City case study was written, there were 22.

"This raises the importance of micromobility solutions. That's why we partnered up with Bikeep, who plays an important role to provide seamless service for cyclists."

Ursel Velve, then CEO of Mainor Ülemiste, the developer of Ülemiste City

What results has Ülemiste City seen?

The case study lists the outcomes.

• No bike has been reported stolen from a Bikeep station on the campus.
• Three times more people cycle to work than the regional average.
• The campus needs half as many car parking spaces.
• Ülemiste earned LEED Platinum certification, partly thanks to its campus-wide secure bike parking network.

Ülemiste also runs the stations itself. It sees every station in real time, including how long each bike has been parked, and can contact an owner when needed.

"We've decreased car parking spots by 50%, our property is green and follows smart city concepts, and we have achieved a higher LEED certification thanks to our sustainable practices and cooperation with Bikeep. People feel safe and satisfied here."

Ursel Velve, then CEO of Mainor Ülemiste

How does Ülemiste give riders a premium experience?

Riders rate it highly, and they trust it with their bike all day.

A few details make the difference.

• Parking is free, and there is no lock to carry.
• There is a station wherever people are going, from the office door to the gym.
• One app or one card works at every station on the campus.
• E-bike riders can charge while they work.
• Riders come back. More than 1,800 of roughly 3,000 app users have parked more than once.

"The Bikeeps are a godsend!"

Rider at the MyFitness station, Ülemiste City

A rider at the campus supermarket put it in Estonian as "superäge lahendus", a super cool solution.

Why add e-bike charging and e-scooter parking now?

Because a car-free campus depends on the last few hundred meters.

Ülemiste's plan moves cars to the edge of the campus. From there, people finish the trip on a bike or a scooter.

"We would like to move cars to the perimeter, and last mile micromobility solutions like scooters and bike[s] will help people to move easily from cars to the place where they would like to go."

Ursel Velve, then CEO of Mainor Ülemiste

The campus already runs both. Four stations offer e-bike charging across 58 docks. Two e-scooter stations add another 15 docks, and riders have parked scooters there more than 2,400 times since 2022.

The station controls the charging.

• Riders plug in their own charger, and the bike and charger lock inside the dock.
• A built-in electrical cabinet manages power across all docks, with circuit protection on each one.
• An optional relay cuts power after four hours, which suits unattended sites.
• The operator tracks power use and charging time in the console.

E-scooters lock by the stem, the strongest point on the scooter, and a tamper alarm guards every dock.

Bikes, e-bikes and scooters all run on one app and one console. The next step at Ülemiste is more charging and scooter capacity. The case study sets the trigger. When occupancy passes a set threshold, the network grows.

Will the hardware last as long as the buildings?

A campus plans in decades, so its parking has to last.

Bikeep's first stations went into service more than 12 years ago, and they are still working. At Ülemiste, 17 of the 26 stations are Bikeep's first-generation hardware. They run side by side with newer stations, on the same app and the same console.

That means a campus can add capacity later without replacing what's already in the ground.

What can other business campuses take from Ülemiste?

Three lessons carry over to any campus.

1. Start where people arrive. Put stations at entrances, gyms and shops, so parking is never a detour.
2. Let the data decide where to grow. Ülemiste adds stations when occupancy passes a threshold.
3. Plan for e-bikes and scooters from the start. Charging and scooter docks join the same network as the bikes.

Ülemiste's network grew one building at a time, and every new building on the campus is now planned with Bikeep stations. Our page on bike parking for offices covers how this works for workplaces of any size.

Frequently asked questions

How many Bikeep stations does Ülemiste City have?

As of September 2026, Ülemiste City has 26 live Bikeep stations with 239 docks. Twenty-four are for bikes and two are for e-scooters.

Is the bike parking free for riders?

Yes. Ülemiste City offers the parking free of charge to everyone on the campus.

Can riders charge e-bikes at Ülemiste City?

Yes, at four stations. Riders plug in their own charger, and the bike and charger lock inside the dock while it charges.

How do riders lock and unlock their bikes?

With the free Bikeep app or any RFID/NFC card. Locking takes a few seconds, and there is no personal lock to carry.

How long does Bikeep hardware last?

Bikeep's first stations went into service more than 12 years ago and are still working. At Ülemiste, first-generation stations run alongside newer ones on the same platform.