Mobility services startups worldwide - by funding

Uber and Lyft top the list of the world's most well-funded auto startups with both companies having received more than 20 billion U.S. dollars in funding as of mid-February 2019. The top five companies are centered on ride-hailing and ride-sharing fleets.

Uber and Didi competition

Mobility-as-a-service is a dynamic, fast growing industry. The industry is developing technologies and services that may completely change urban mobility. Operations within this industry must spend large sums of cash to establish themselves and be at the vanguard of the transportation industry. Many mergers and acquisitions take place as the industry begins to grow. Uber’s major inward cash flow comes from financing activities. Much of its investments are in autonomous vehicles and self-driving cars. The high overhead costs associated with entering an industry can be seen by net losses at DiDi. The two most well-funded auto startups, Uber and DiDi have a strange competition. In 2016, DiDi bought Uber’s operations in China and South East Asia, leaving the market completely open to DiDi. Uber acquired some of the merged entity as part of the deal. Other regions were still open for competition. DiDi also invested into Uber. Both companies now have an interest in the progress of their rival. DiDi also has investments with Uber rivals Lyft and Grab. Uber has been criticized for bad practices when trying to disrupt their rival’s operations.