Delmenhorst, [July 29, 2026]. TÖNNJES has made a strategic investment in the Scandinavian technology company Bikekey. Together, the two companies aim to expand digital bike identification internationally. Bikekey’s registration system, already established in Denmark and Norway, is to be rolled out in new markets with the help of TÖNNJES’s global network of authorities – built on long-standing relationships with governments and public authorities in more than 100 countries.
As the number of bicycles and e-bikes continues to grow, so do the demands for theft protection and proof of ownership – not only for private users, but also for cities, insurers, manufacturers and retailers.
How the System Works
Bikekey operates a digital bike registry with more than 100,000 registered bikes. Users store the frame number, photos and relevant documents on the platform. Each registered bike receives a weather- and tamperproof QR marking. When a bike is found, the code can be scanned and the owner contacted anonymously via the platform. When a bike is found, the code can be scanned and the owner contacted anonymously via the platform. Personal data remains protected. Changes of ownership in a resale are also documented between verified accounts, creating a traceable ownership history that makes trading in stolen bikes more difficult.
In Scandinavia, Bikekey already works with cycling associations, insurers, manufacturers and specialist retailers, including the Danish Cyclists’ Federation (Cyklistforbundet).
What TÖNNJES brings to the project
TÖNNJES brings extensive experience in secure vehicle identification – from the production of tamper-proof plates to digital registration and identification solutions – along with a network of authorities and ministries in more than 100 countries. It is precisely this network that makes it possible to transfer Bikekey’s model into new markets: wherever vehicle registration is organised by the state, TÖNNJES knows the contacts and the processes. With the investment, Bikekey’s user-friendly platform is combined with the production technology and international reach of TÖNNJES.
“This partnership realises an ambition we’ve held for a long time: Bringing our expertise in vehicle identification to bicycles,” says Jörn Bertram, Managing Director of the TÖNNJES INTERNATIONAL GROUP. “Bikekey has proven the concept works in Scandinavia. Through our network, we can now bring security standards to new markets and adapt them for cycling.”
“In Scandinavia, we have proven that digital bike registration noticeably reduces theft and returns found bikes to their owners,” says René Nørgård, CEO of Bikekey. “With TÖNNJES as a strategic investor and its international network behind us, we gain the access to authorities and markets we need to establish this model beyond Scandinavia.”
Benefits beyond theft protection
Registration supports not only protection against theft, but also repair, resale and insurance. It also contributes to sustainability: found bikes can be returned more easily instead of being scrapped because no owner can be identified. For TÖNNJES, the investment extends its existing portfolio in vehicle identification into the micromobility market, which continues to grow with urbanisation and climate action. Both partners see particular potential in countries with rising cycling traffic and increasingly digital administrative and mobility infrastructure.