MOST INNOVATIVE COMPANIES
2017 3. UBER
COMPANY PROFILE
UBER
an American app-based transportation platform
headquartered in San Francisco, California. Launched in 2010, Uber may be best
known for pioneering the ride-hailing business, but the $68 billion company has
much broader ambitions. In 2016, it acquired Silicon Valley startup Otto and
incorporated its hardware and software systems into a self-driving truck, which
then successfully delivered 50,000 cans of Budweiser, demonstrating the
viability of autonomous trucking.
CEO Travis Kalanick’s vision,
of course, is that Uber would operate a fleet of autonomous trucks that could
deliver goods anywhere and anytime. That’s not possible yet, but the
10,000-person company is eager for new businesses that can help it become
profitable. But Uber will have to stave off competing autonomous vehicle
initiatives from rivals like Ford, GM, and Google if it wants to be the king of
the robot car and truck.
Uber's most valuable asset is its data, which
has been an important part of Uber's business since it first launched. In
addition to using user data to improve the Uber experience, the company has
also locked in deals to monetize its data with other companies. In 2015, Uber
launched a partnership with Starwood Hotels & Resorts that allows Starwood
Preferred Guest members to get points whenever they take an Uber. In return, customers
who opt in let the ride-hailing company pass useful data onto Starwood. But
data has also been at the center of some controversy for Uber, which has been
accused of mishandling the reams of data it collects from user rides. And while
Uber uses data analysis to determine when to deploy its "surge
pricing" during times of high demand, the company has also come under fire
from the incumbent taxi industry for its highly competitive low pricing, which
has helped it disrupt that sector. Uber is currently available in 73 countries
across the globe.
DATA
COMPETITION
Ford, Didi Chuxing (f.k.a. Didi
Kuaidi), Google, Lyft, General Motors, Olacabs
PEOPLE
Travis Kalanick, Rachel Holt
VALUATION
$68 billion
PUBLIC OR PRIVATE
Private
STAFF
10,000+
HEADQUARTERS
San Francisco, California
WWW.FAST COMPANY.COM
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