Home > Startups > Uber

Inside Uber: From 2009 to Now Into a ~$22.2 billion business

Startup Type:

Headquarter: San Francisco, USA

Current Status: Active (IPO in 2019)

Founders: Garrett Camp, Travis Kalanick

Founded Year: 2009

Investors: SoftBank Vision Fund, Benchmark Capital, Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund

Funding Raised: ~$22.2 billion

What Is the business model of Uber?

Ride-hailing and delivery platform that takes a commission from each ride or order

How Uber got started?

Inspired when Camp and Kalanick struggled to find a taxi in Paris in 2008, they launched UberCab to hail rides via smartphone

what growth strategy has Uber followed?

Pursued aggressive global expansion despite legal issues), heavily subsidizing rides and recruiting drivers to rapidly grow

what are the top products/features of Uber

Uber ridesharing app, Uber Eats food delivery, Uber Freight logistics

what was the biggest challenge faced by Uber?

Encountered regulatory bans and protests worldwide, and internal scandals leading to the CEO’s ouster in 2017