Investors are still pouring millions into scooter startups, albeit sometimes at flat valuations. At the same time a little cash is flowing the other way, in cases where cities have realized the importance of prioritizing the needs of the local environment and its citizens, over and above the ambitions of VCs for a swift and lucrative […]
View More Testing times for second wave scooter startupsCategory: Collaborative Consumption
Uber’s India rival Ola nears $6 billion valuation ahead of huge funding round
Ola, India’s local rival to Uber, has seen its valuation jump to nearly $6 billion as it prepares to take in a large round of financing. The ride-hailing firm, which was founded in 2010, has raised around $3.3 billion from investors to date, and it topped that up a little this week. Ola pulled in […]
View More Uber’s India rival Ola nears $6 billion valuation ahead of huge funding roundGo-Jek’s Southeast Asia expansion runs into a roadblock in the Philippines
Southeast Asian ride-hailing challenger Go-Jek has expanded into three new markets as it bids to expand beyond its native Indonesia, but it is having major issues getting into a fourth. The company — which rivals Grab, is valued at over $6 billion and is backed by the likes of Google and Tencent — this week […]
View More Go-Jek’s Southeast Asia expansion runs into a roadblock in the PhilippinesManaged By Q ends 2018 with a fresh $25 million in funding
Managed By Q, the office management platform that launched back in 2013, has today revealed that it raised an additional $25 million as a part of its Series C, led by existing investors RRE and Google Ventures, with participation from new investors DivCo West, Oxford Properties and others. The fresh capital brings the total round […]
View More Managed By Q ends 2018 with a fresh $25 million in fundingDidi launches lending and insurance as new regulation threatens to lower driver numbers
Didi Chuxing, China’s dominant ride-hailing firm, is rolling out a range of financial and insurance services as it looks to fortify its service against a range of challenges in 2019. The company announced today that it is adding “protection” insurance and credit services for both passengers and drivers who use its platform. The former is […]
View More Didi launches lending and insurance as new regulation threatens to lower driver numbersFair.com gets $385M led by Softbank to grow its flexible car ownership model globally
California startup Fair.com is aiming to turn the car market on its head by providing price-friendly, easy options for people to lease vehicles instead of buying them, and today it’s taking the latest, big step in that ambition. It has raised a huge Series B funding round of $385 million led by Softbank, with participation from […]
View More Fair.com gets $385M led by Softbank to grow its flexible car ownership model globallyGrab is messing up the world’s largest mapping community’s data in Southeast Asia
Grab, Southeast Asia’s top ride-hailing company, has hit a roadblock in its efforts to improve its mapping and routing service after running into trouble with OpenStreetMap, the world’s largest collaborative mapping community, through a series of blundering edits in Thailand. Grab, which gobbled up Uber’s local business in exchange for an equity swap earlier this […]
View More Grab is messing up the world’s largest mapping community’s data in Southeast AsiaUber loses another appeal against drivers’ rights in UK
Uber has lost another appeal against a landmark 2016 UK employment tribunal ruling that found a group of drivers to be workers, rather than self-employed, meaning they’re entitled to benefits such as holiday pay and the National Minimum Wage. The court of appeal today upheld previous decisions classifying the drivers as workers. Although the ruling […]
View More Uber loses another appeal against drivers’ rights in UKUK workplace rights reform doesn’t look disruptive to gig economy giants
The UK government has set out a labor market reform package it bills as a major upgrade to workplace rights in the era of disruptive gig economy platforms. The reforms, which include new legislation, are intended to take account of changes in working practices including those flowing from tech platforms. But despite some gig economy platforms standing […]
View More UK workplace rights reform doesn’t look disruptive to gig economy giantsThe limits of coworking
It feels like there’s a WeWork on every street nowadays. Take a walk through midtown Manhattan (please don’t actually) and it might even seem like there are more WeWorks than office buildings. Consider this an ongoing discussion about Urban Tech, its intersection with regulation, issues of public service, and other complexities that people have full […]
View More The limits of coworkingUnion’s human rights challenge to Deliveroo dismissed by UK High Court
A UK union that has been fighting to win collective bargaining rights for gig economy riders who provide delivery services via Deliveroo’s platform has had its claim for a judicial review of an earlier blocking decision dismissed by the High Court today. Six months ago the IWGB Union was granted permission to challenge Deliveroo’s opposition to collective […]
View More Union’s human rights challenge to Deliveroo dismissed by UK High CourtCove.Tool wants to solve climate change one efficient building at a time
As the fight against climate change heats up, Cove.Tool is looking to help tackle carbon emissions one building at a time. The Atlanta-based startup provides an automated big-data platform that helps architects, engineers and contractors identify the most cost-effective ways to make buildings compliant with energy efficiency requirements. After raising an initial round earlier this […]
View More Cove.Tool wants to solve climate change one efficient building at a time