
Google Ventures, the venture capital arm of Alphabet Inc., was a major investor in Uber. They invested $258 million in the company in 2013.
This investment was a significant boost for Uber, which was still in its early stages of growth. The investment helped Uber expand its operations and further develop its technology.
In return for the investment, Google Ventures received a 6.4% stake in Uber. This stake gave them a significant say in the company's direction and decision-making process.
Google Ventures and Uber
Google Ventures and Uber had a significant partnership.
In 2013, Google Ventures led a $258 million funding round for Uber, valuing the company at $3.5 billion.
This investment was a major milestone for both companies.
Google Ventures' investment in Uber demonstrated its confidence in the ride-hailing company's innovative approach to transportation.
The partnership also marked a shift in Google Ventures' investment strategy, as it began to focus more on high-growth companies in the transportation and logistics space.
Uber's valuation continued to soar, reaching $17 billion in 2015.
Uber's Funding History

Uber's Funding History was a wild ride. Uber was founded in 2009 with a killer app concept that caught on with Silicon Valley venture capital crowd.
The company's valuation increased by $10 billion within seven months by the summer of 2015. Google Ventures plunged over $250 million into Uber in August 2015.
Uber's biggest investors included blue-chip Silicon Valley venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Fidelity Investments, Jeff Bezos of Amazon, Goldman Sachs, Blackrock, Lone Pine Capital, and dozens of other venture capital firms, hedge funds and private billionaires.
Traditional Wall Street wasn't left at the curb either. The thinking among Uber financial supporters was that a tidal wave of cash would drown any rival and allow the realization of the ultimate goal: a monstrously successful initial public offering (IPO) valued at $70 billion or more.
Sources
- https://www.theverge.com/2013/8/23/4650436/google-ventures-invests-uber-taxi-hailing
- https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/11/alphabet-uber-investment-stake-has-gone-up-20x-since-2013.html
- https://techcrunch.com/2013/08/22/google-ventures-puts-258m-into-uber-its-largest-deal-ever/
- https://www.investopedia.com/articles/markets/011516/companies-are-funding-uber-and-lyft.asp
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomiogeron/2013/08/23/uber-confirms-258-million-from-google-ventures-tpg-looks-to-on-demand-future/
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