Malta-based eCabs Technologies has launched a new ride-hailing platform following one of the country’s largest ever privately funded tech development cycles — and now it’s going international.

The company has completed an €18 million product development programme that delivers a fully operational, AI-powered platform already in use in several European cities. It’s live in Malta, and eCabs has secured partners in Greece, Romania, the UK and Germany — with more launches planned soon.

The platform was funded through a combination of founder equity and a co-lending facility from the Malta Development Bank and Bank of Valletta. CEO and founder Matthew Bezzina called the milestone “pivotal”, describing the new platform as the industry’s “gold standard”, built to meet the needs of modern mobility operators.

A new chapter for local tech

The move signals a shift for eCabs Technologies from product development to commercial scale-up. The company says the platform has already proven itself in real-world environments outside Malta and is now positioned to support operators across Europe looking for advanced, regulation-ready tech.

“The ride-hailing giants have dominated deregulated markets, but many operators in regulated cities still don’t have the tools to compete,” said Bezzina. “Our platform gives them that edge — a way to modernise, scale, and stay relevant in a fast-changing industry.”

With the European taxi and ride-hailing market expected to grow from €85 billion today to more than €140 billion by 2032, eCabs sees this as a strategic moment to launch. The company believes local operators — with strong brand trust and regulatory experience — are well-placed to win back market share, if given the right tech.

Bezzina added that interest in the platform was strong even before the development phase was complete, a signal that “there’s real demand for a solution like this.”

Designed to be adaptive across markets, the platform combines fleet optimisation, dispatch integration, compliance support and customer experience tools — all powered by real-time data and machine learning.

“Our mindset is to constantly improve,” Bezzina said. “This isn’t just about software. It’s about helping our partners translate tech into commercial and operational success.”

With a strong pipeline and a clear plan to scale, eCabs Technologies is now preparing to enter its next phase — proving that a Malta-built platform can take on Europe’s fragmented mobility market.