Finnish startup Rubber Wheels launches peer-to-peer logistics across the Nordics — among the first platforms built for EU's DAC7 and Digital Services Act from day one

Helsinki-based Rubber Wheels Oy on 24 April 2026 launched a mobile application that connects senders of goods with drivers already heading the same way across Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark. According to the company, it is among the first Finnish platforms architected for both the EU DAC7 income-reporting directive (Regulation 2021/514) and the Digital Services Act (DSA) from inception — without a compliance layer added retroactively.

The launch comes at a time when the European Commission and national regulators have stepped up scrutiny of gig-economy platforms. DAC7 obliges digital platforms to report user earnings to tax authorities, and the DSA requires transparent moderation and reporting systems. Several international platforms received warnings or sanctions in 2025–2026 for delayed compliance.

A market gap, framed by macro pressure

There are an estimated 1.4 billion passenger cars worldwide, and 20–35 percent of trucks in EU logistics drive empty on return trips. Transport accounts for roughly 20 percent of Finland's CO₂ emissions, while incumbent Nordic postal operators have been reducing rural service across 2024–2026. Conventional parcel delivery covers sparsely populated areas and weekend shipments poorly.

Rubber Wheels addresses both sides — underused vehicle capacity and a delivery service gap — in a single application. The platform supports any standard vehicle type, from a passenger car to a van with a trailer, and is available in five languages (Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English) with phone-number support for more than 50 countries. According to the company's own calculations, an average delivery on the platform saves approximately 23 kilograms of CO₂ compared with a dedicated trip, when the shipment travels along an already-planned route. The methodology, based on public emission factors from the EEA, VTT and the IPCC, is published on the company website.

Payments and trust built to a European template

Payments run through Stripe Connect with funds held in escrow until delivery is confirmed — a setup designed to comply with Finnish Consumer Protection Act sections 6:12 and 13 as well as EU consumer rights directive cancellation periods. Users rate each other in both directions after every delivery, and a reliability score deducts points for cancellations. Identities are verified via Stripe's KYC process, and data is stored in line with GDPR.

Unlike business-to-business logistics, Rubber Wheels is built specifically for consumer and peer-to-peer use: drivers see whose shipment they are carrying, and senders see the driver's prior ratings, delivery count and reliability score.

From Finland to the Nordics — and onward in Europe

Finland has previously produced global success stories in Linux, Angry Birds and Clash of Clans. Rubber Wheels is built for multi-country use from inception: the payment stack, user interface and platform architecture support Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark in parallel, and the service is engineered to scale into the wider EU market.

"Uber owned no cars. Airbnb owned no hotel rooms. Rubber Wheels owns no vehicles — yet every passenger car and van in the Nordics is a potential part of our network. We wanted to build the service to European rules from the start because it is both right and a long-term competitive advantage."

— Risto Pukki, CEO, Rubber Wheels Oy