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4 Years In – Uber raises 1.2B at 17B valuation
- vyrotek 12y agoI think what they're doing is great. But does anyone else feel like "job creation" is a distracting data point? I can't help feel that companies like Uber are really just positioning themselves early for the self-driving car revolution that is coming. They will be in a very good position and heavily incentivized to switch to a driverless model once the technology arrives. Perhaps I'm premature in my expectations of how soon this will realistically happen.
- EduardoBautista 12y agoEven if they don't switch to that model, someone else will. Humans are a big expense.
- theklub 12y agoThe thought of a fleet of driverless electric taxis is amazing.
- pbreit 12y agoI don't think that's incompatible with creating jobs now and I wouldn't fault them for it.
- starfishjenga 12y agoKalanick has already been quoted that he'll replace drivers. So you're definitely correct - http://pando.com/2014/05/28/travis-kalanick-i-cant-wait-for-self-driving-cars-so-i-can-fire-all-uber-drivers-audience-member-dont-be-a-dick/ http://pando.com/2014/05/28/travis-kalanick-i-cant-wait-for-...
- lewisflude 12y agoThey're making the world a better place.
- jnks 12y agoTechnically they're raising at $18.2B or $18.4B in the typical sense of the word "valuation" since the 17 is pre-money. Also, as an investor in such a late round, there are likely multiple provisions for getting your money back such that while a large investment, it may not be particularly risky. Even if Uber crashes and burns and gets acquired for only $3B, investors in this round probably still double their money.
- dang 12y agoThere is more discussion at https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7859084 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7859084, so we'll call this one the dupe.