Next step for the ZIV Market Data Service: implementation of Veloconnect 1.6 B2X
Berlin, 28 January 2026 | In spring 2025, the ZIV officially began setting up an industry-wide Market Data Service (MDS) to provide the bicycle industry with detailed, up-to-date sales data. With the EU-funded start-up phase now complete, the association is taking stock to begin tackling the next milestone. The funding from the EIT Urban Mobility initiative for the collaborative project with the British Bicycle Association and Edinburgh Napier University’s Business School ended in December 2025, as scheduled.
«I never imagined when we started out around one year ago that we could achieve so much in such a short time,» said ZIV CEO Burkhard Stork, looking back. «We owe this tremendous progress to the great dedication of the project team, but also to the close cooperation with our members and retail representatives. The MDS helps bring the industry together – something that is urgently needed if we want to be ready for the future. This is true for data, but also for the entire digital architecture.»
The success of the MDS depends on the commitment of the retail sector – tangible progress can be reported here, too. More than 400 retail outlets and several online platforms have already agreed to share their data. «We’re expecting countless more registrations in the coming weeks. The process is slowly gaining momentum – also thanks to the great support from our member companies, the VSF and other retail partners,» emphasises Katharina Hinse, who is responsible for market data at the ZIV as the association’s Head of Economic and Industrial Policy. «With our Market Data Service, we’re expanding the ZIV database with long-awaited, up-to-date data from points of sale – a milestone that will benefit the entire industry.»
Great progress was also made last year with regard to the data quality and digitalisation thanks to the close cooperation with DiBike GmbH. With Veloconnect 1.6 B2X, an interface is now available that enables a simple and reliable exchange of data for the market data service. In parallel to development of a corresponding Veloconnect server, the first ERP systems have already begun implementing this interface.
«The faster the ERP systems implement VC 1.6 B2X, the sooner we can make this important tool available to the industry and enable data-driven decisions,» explains Christian Wenzl, Project Coordinator for the ZIV Market Data Service. «We are therefore very pleased that some ERP systems are already working on implementation or will begin doing so very soon. Our heartfelt thanks to everyone involved for the collaborative dialogue.»
A launch version of the ZIV Market Data Service is expected to be available in the second quarter of 2026.
«I never imagined when we started out around one year ago that we could achieve so much in such a short time,» said ZIV CEO Burkhard Stork, looking back. «We owe this tremendous progress to the great dedication of the project team, but also to the close cooperation with our members and retail representatives. The MDS helps bring the industry together – something that is urgently needed if we want to be ready for the future. This is true for data, but also for the entire digital architecture.»
The success of the MDS depends on the commitment of the retail sector – tangible progress can be reported here, too. More than 400 retail outlets and several online platforms have already agreed to share their data. «We’re expecting countless more registrations in the coming weeks. The process is slowly gaining momentum – also thanks to the great support from our member companies, the VSF and other retail partners,» emphasises Katharina Hinse, who is responsible for market data at the ZIV as the association’s Head of Economic and Industrial Policy. «With our Market Data Service, we’re expanding the ZIV database with long-awaited, up-to-date data from points of sale – a milestone that will benefit the entire industry.»
Great progress was also made last year with regard to the data quality and digitalisation thanks to the close cooperation with DiBike GmbH. With Veloconnect 1.6 B2X, an interface is now available that enables a simple and reliable exchange of data for the market data service. In parallel to development of a corresponding Veloconnect server, the first ERP systems have already begun implementing this interface.
«The faster the ERP systems implement VC 1.6 B2X, the sooner we can make this important tool available to the industry and enable data-driven decisions,» explains Christian Wenzl, Project Coordinator for the ZIV Market Data Service. «We are therefore very pleased that some ERP systems are already working on implementation or will begin doing so very soon. Our heartfelt thanks to everyone involved for the collaborative dialogue.»
A launch version of the ZIV Market Data Service is expected to be available in the second quarter of 2026.
About the ZIV
The ZIV represents the interests of and is a strong voice for the Germany bicycle industry. As an industry association, the ZIV brings together and represents around 140 member companies vis-à-vis lawmakers in the EU and Germany, the German government, authorities, media, institutions and organisations. In 2024, around ninety percent of the bicycles and e-bikes produced in Germany were from ZIV member companies, which export 1.3 million units every year in addition to sales on the domestic market. The ZIV represents established companies and start-ups, manufacturers and retailers (including importers and wholesalers) as well as players from the entire bicycle ecosystem.
Press contact
ZIV – German Bicycle Industry, Reinhardtstraße 7, 10117 Berlin, presse@ziv-zweirad.de