On Monday, the Brussels-based company Lizy, which specialises in the digital leasing of reconditioned used cars, received the ‘Scale-up of the Year 2025’ award, marking a milestone for a company that has reshaped one of Europe’s most traditional sectors.

The award is granted by EY Belgium, in partnership with BNP Paribas Fortis, L’Echo, and De Tijd, as part of the prestigious ‘Company of the Year’ competition. The trophy was presented by the Walloon Minister of the Economy, Pierre-Yves Jeholet.

The nomination is a reward for the company’s rapid growth, its innovative digital approach, and its promising structure, according to the jury. “Lizy has not only created a new category in European mobility but has also shown how circular, digital-first leasing can make electric mobility accessible to thousands of companies and private users. ”

The young structure, which has been in existence for six years, is also active in France and the Netherlands. It is aimed at SMEs and the self-employed, and has more than 4,000 customers.

All-in and affordable

Because used electric cars depreciate quickly, Lizy can offer monthly lease prices 15-40% lower than traditional new-vehicle leasing. The platform features popular models, such as the Tesla Model 3, Volkswagen ID.3, Polestar 2, or Renault Zoe.

All are available with fast delivery, often within three weeks, since the cars are already in stock. Lizy makes mainstream electric vehicles more affordable, with monthly costs that are significantly lower than those of traditional new-car leasing.

The leasing contracts are ‘all-in’, bundling maintenance, repairs, tyres, assistance, and administrative handling into a predictable monthly fee. For users, this means transparent pricing, no unexpected repair costs, and no worries about resale value.

Appealing formula

The formula particularly appeals to SMEs, freelancers, and urban professionals who prefer flexibility over long-term ownership. Lizy’s success is clearly based on three pillars: affordability, convenience, and predictability.

However, leasing with Lizy tends to be attractive for private users as well, because the company focuses on reconditioned cars, particularly electric ones, so the monthly prices are far lower than for new-car leasing while still offering a fully maintained, fast-delivery vehicle.

Overall, Lizy offers a situationally excellent total cost of ownership for private users – especially those prioritizing ease, flexibility, and affordability.

How it all began

When D’Ieteren set up Lab Box, its start-up studio on Place Flagey, the company wanted to bet on the future and develop businesses in the future of mobility. Among them was the start-up Lizy, founded in 2019 by Sam Heymans and Vincent Castus. The two men wanted to start leasing used cars with the most digital experience possible. They aimed to make car leasing simpler, faster, more affordable, and more sustainable.

However, as they were not a leasing company themselves, they needed backing from a group with the competence to get started, which is how Lizy was born within D’Ieteren. Today, six and a half years later, their gamble has paid off, as Lizy has now become the Belgian market leader in second-life leasing and a growing challenger across Europe — especially in the electric vehicle segment.

“Seven years ago, no leasing company wanted to offer a second-hand leasing contract. We were even laughed at,” Sam Heymans, CEO and co-founder, explains. “Today, we have convinced thousands of SMEs to switch to electric.”

Unique

Although Lizy is not the only company in Europe offering used-car or electric-vehicle leasing, it occupies a noticeably distinctive position in the market. Large players such as Ayvens or Arval have begun exploring second-life leasing programs, yet these initiatives remain a small extension of their core business. Lizy, by contrast, was built from the ground up around digital-first leasing of reconditioned cars, especially electric models.

Lizy’s unique combination – used EVs, fast delivery, fully online onboarding, transparent all-in pricing, and a circular mobility strategy – gives the start-up a competitive edge in a rapidly changing mobility market.

In 2025, Lizy secured €75 million in new funding — including €10 million from D’Ieteren and Marc Coucke’s Alychlo — to accelerate its expansion into new European markets and strengthen its fleet of electric vehicles. The company, now counting around 65 employees, is exceeding growth forecasts and preparing for rapid scaling across the continent.