Rebirth of the Financial Crisis Sweeping the World

Chapter 462 462Uber launch takes the United States by storm! Terrifying energy!

After resting for a few more days at No. 52 Beverly Hills, Wang Guanxi said: "This vacation is over and I will go back to Ohio tomorrow."

Jennifer Lawrence nodded: "Well, I've been out playing for so long recently, and I feel a little homesick."

Ford Ingrid also said: "Me too, it seems we have been hanging out for a long time."

After vacationing in Hawaii, then to San Francisco, and then to Los Angeles.

During this time, they visited many scenic spots and left many beautiful memories for them.

Luo Baowen also said: "This period of time is really relaxing. I have never been on vacation like this."

Zhang Xiaolei also echoed: "Me too, I have been working for so long, and I have never been so relaxed during the holidays."

Wang Guanxi smiled and said: "Actually, I have never been on vacation like this. If we have another day off today, we will go back to Ohio."

Ohio is Wang Guanxi’s hometown in the United States, and California is the territory of the California consortium. Although he can invest in many technology companies, there are not many technology companies with employees, and the political voice still belongs to the California consortium.

The next day, Los Angeles International Airport.

Oren Paley of the American GBE Company and Wu Jianmin, CEO of East West Bank, personally escorted Wang Guanxi to the airport.

After getting out of the car, Wang Guanxi said: "Oren Pelley, Wu Jianmin, just stick to the current operating mode and continue to work."

"Yes, BOSS" the two nodded.

Then Wang Guanxi said: "Next time I come to Los Angeles, I hope that GBE and East West Bank will make a difference in the industry."

With that said, Wang Guanxi boarded the plane.

But the phone rang. It was Greg Becker, CEO of Silicon Valley Bank.

After getting through, Wang Guanxi asked: "What's the matter?"

Greg Becker said: "BOSS, the person you asked me to contact has returned from France. A close friend founded a taxi company in Silicon Valley called UberCab."

Uber was first founded in 2009 by Travis Kalanick and Gerrit Kemp, originally named "UberCab".

Uber officially launched its service in San Francisco in June 2010. It will become a super unicorn in the future. When it went public, it was valued at US$80 billion, and the highest valuation was as high as US$140 billion.

Wang Guanxi said: "Greg Becker immediately contacted Travis Kalanick and said that we would inject capital into their company and cooperate with the support of Ford Motor Company to make Uber bigger."

Although Wang Guanxi can also run his own taxi company,

Launched a taxi-hailing business, but he still felt that it should be done by the founder of Uber.

Because if other mazai were to do it, they might not be able to do it well.

Moreover, the Uber company founded by Travis Kalanick will still receive other capital investments in the future. It is better to have Wang Guanxi directly invest in it right after it is established, everyone becomes a partner, and Wang Guanxi directly supports Uber.

Greg Becker quickly said: "Okay, BOSS, I'll contact him right away!"

After the phone call ended, Wang Guanxi and others boarded the plane, and then the plane took off, not to Columbus, Ohio, but to San Francisco International Airport.

At this moment, there is a recently established Uber Technology company in Silicon Valley.

Travis Kalanick and Gerrit Kemp received a call from Silicon Valley Bank CEO Greg Becker and fell into deep thought.

Gerrit Kemp said: "We just established Uber and planned to try a new idea. Unexpectedly, a Silicon Valley boss took a fancy to our company."

Silicon Valley Bank is quite famous in Silicon Valley and has supported many technology companies.

Unexpectedly, they actually fell in love with the Uber company they just founded.

Travis Kalanick: "The boss behind Greg Becker is going to come to Silicon Valley in person and give us a price."

Gerrit Kemp asked: "Our company has just been established, it is just a new idea. Is this big guy serious?"

Travis Kalanick said nervously: “I don’t know how much we will be valued?”

Gerrit Kemp: "So can we sell it? The software is almost designed now, and it should be worth at least two million dollars."

Travis Kalanick: "How is it possible with two million dollars? We might as well use our own money to start it. When it develops, we can find venture capital companies for financing. What if it does happen?"

Gerrit Kemp: "What if Greg Becker's boss wants to buy the company outright?"

Travis Kalanick: "In the case of an acquisition, we won't sell it, we will do it ourselves and use the money to continue the company. There must be venture capital companies who are interested in our company, and we will just raise funds when the time comes."

"I have started my own business several times. I want to succeed this time and don't want to give up my company."

He breathed heavily, recalling his past.

Kalanick was born in San Francisco. He was fascinated by computers since he was a child and learned to program in sixth grade.

After graduating from high school, he was admitted to the University of California, Los Angeles, and dropped out in 1998.

After dropping out of college, he founded the website with six friends.

Initially they just wanted to be a web search engine, but unexpectedly it turned into the world's first P2P file download resource search engine.

However, in 2000, the website was sued by 29 Hollywood companies for copyright infringement and claimed US$250 million.

In the end, the two parties reached an out-of-court settlement and paid US$1 million before declaring bankruptcy.

Kalanick was very hurt when he started a business for the first time. He didn't go to the theater to watch a movie for several months. "Just seeing the names of several major production companies made my blood surge."

The second time he started his own business, in 2001, Kalanick gathered the original team of people who started his first business and co-founded a technology company.

Its main business is to provide services to enterprises, improve the way their files are spread on the network, increase the speed of file transfer, and help enterprises save server expenses.

Kalanick's purpose in starting this company was not only to make money, but also to "revenge": He wanted the Hollywood companies that sued and eventually led to its bankruptcy to buy his services and let them "make a little money."

Unexpectedly, the company ran into trouble again halfway through its development. The partners tried to take the development team to switch jobs to Sony. The company's capital chain also had problems. The largest investor, Mark Cuban, the owner of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks, asked to divest.

During those difficult days, Kalanick refused to pay himself a salary and moved back to his mother's house to "chew on old age."

It was simply embarrassing.

Once when he attended the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, he had no money and had to sleep in a rental car and shower like a homeless man in the bathroom of a nearby casino.

In 2007, the company improved. A technology company invested $19 million to buy Kalanick's company. 23 of the 29 Hollywood companies that sued him that year have become his clients.

Before selling the company to Akamai Technologies in 2007, he had no income for several years.

I was rejected hundreds of times every day for 6 consecutive years.

To remind himself not to forget those difficult years, Kalanick printed the words "Bleed, Sweat, Eat Instant Noodles" on a pair of socks.

This time he felt that his taxi-hailing idea could definitely be done again. Even if it meant burning all his money, he would continue to do it!

Thinking of this, he said firmly: "I will not sell the company. It is okay if he invests, but if it is acquired, I will not sell it because this idea may be my best idea. I want to put this Realize your ideas and build your own big company!”

Gerrit Kemp was also infected by Kalanick and said: "Kalanick, I support you. This time we will fight to the end. Even if we lose everything, we will continue to build the company!"

Time passed by, and a call came from Silicon Valley Bank CEO Greg Becker, saying that his boss had already boarded the plane and would fly from Los Angeles to San Francisco soon.

Have the two of them go to the Hilton Hotel near LAX and have dinner together that evening.

And Silicon Valley Bank’s fleet also arrived, all of which were stretched Ford vehicles.

Gerrit Kemp and Kalanick quickly left the company, boarded a Silicon Valley Bank fleet, and soon arrived at San Francisco International Airport.

Greg Becker said enthusiastically: "Kalanick, Gerrit Kemp, you actually came directly to the airport. Didn't we ask you to wait for us at the Hilton Hotel?!"

Kalanick said: "We also want to pick up your boss."

Gerrit Kemp: “There’s nothing to do in the hotel, it’s better to come directly to the airport”

At this time, a huge plane landed. This was the 'Crown'

Extremely luxurious!

Both Gerrit Kemp and Kalanick were stunned.

This luxurious Boeing private jet cannot be purchased without hundreds of millions of dollars.

Only billionaires can afford such a luxurious private jet, right?

Greg Becker's boss is indeed extraordinary, and the pomp is too great.

At this time Wang Guanxi came.

"BOSS!" Greg Becker was excited.

Then Gerrit Kemp and Kalanick were introduced.

Kalanick and Gerrit Kemp were already dumbfounded. He was actually such a young super rich man?

It was simply unbelievable, subverting their three views.

"Hello Mr. Wang, my name is Travis Kalanick"

"Mr. Wang, my name is Gerrit Kemp."

Wang Guanxi smiled and said: "You two, let's chat while walking."

"Okay!" So everyone got in the car.

Soon we arrived at the Hilton Hotel.

Dinner is ready and everyone has dinner together.

At dinner, Wang Guanxi said: "Travis Kalanick, Gerrit Kemp, how much do you think Uber is worth now?"

Gerrit Kemp said nervously: "Mr. Wang, our company has just been established, and our engineers are about to design a taxi-hailing software worth at least US$2 million."

Kalanick said straight to the point: "Mr. Wang, are you planning to acquire Uber? If so, it will cost at least US$10 million. If you want to inject capital, the valuation will need US$4 million."

At present, their company has just started, and the taxi-hailing software has not yet been completed. It may take more than a year to launch the taxi-hailing APP.

A lot of money will still be consumed during this period.

If there are no investors to invest, they have to invest their own money, and the risk is very high. If they fail to do it by then, they will lose money in vain, but he will not give up and shouts out the purchase price of 10 million US dollars, just to let Wang Guan Xi gave up the idea of ​​acquiring Uber and just wanted to raise funds.

At this time, Wang Guanxi smiled and said: "Travis Kalanick, Gerrit Kemp, your company car idea is very good, I am very interested."

"But Uber has just been established, and it will take a long time to go from offline operations to launching the app online!"

"I own East West Bank, Silicon Valley Bank, Macy's Department Store, and Ford Motor Company. If your Uber company cooperates with Ford Motor Company, it will take off directly."

"I also admire the creative talents of both of you. I do not plan to directly acquire Uber. I hope that you two will continue to stay at Uber and make Uber bigger!"

Kalanick and Gerrit Kemp were immediately excited. Uber is a taxi business. If it directly cooperates with Ford Motor Company, it will be really exciting!

Moreover, Macy’s, East West Bank, and Silicon Valley Bank all have many employees in California, so they can directly promote them among their employees.

Kalanick asked: "Mr. Wang, are you planning to raise funds?"

Wang Guanxi nodded: "I will directly value you at US$10 million and inject US$90 million. You can rest assured that the company's AB equity dual design means that you two can have 50% of the voting rights, and I also want 50% of the voting rights. , I will become your partner and support you in making Uber bigger. If you raise funds in the future, you can also let other investors come in. We will win together. When it goes public in the future, you will also get huge returns."

Kalanick and Gerrit Kemp were immediately excited.

This company has just been established, and the taxi-hailing software has not even been designed yet. It was directly valued at US$10 million and raised US$90 million in financing.

Moreover, the other party invests as a partner and only requires 50% of the voting rights.

The combined voting rights of the two are as high as 50%, so there is no need to worry about the company being taken away directly in the future.

So the two agreed immediately.

Uber's equity was immediately changed to an AB dual-class structure. Kalanick and Gerrit Kemp held a large number of Class B shares, with 50% of the voting rights.

The two hold a combined 10% stake in Uber.

Wang Guanxi transferred US$90 million from Fund 1 to the Wang Venture Capital Foundation, and then the Wang Venture Capital Foundation injected US$90 million into Uber, holding 90% of the equity and 50% of the voting rights.

Then another US$10 million was transferred from Fund 1 to the Crown Charitable Foundation as operating funds.

In this way, the cash flow of Fund No. 1 has been spent, and it still owes Standard Chartered Bank a debt of US$2.5 billion.

This time he became a partner of Uber. Wang Guanxi arranged for Ma Zai to join Uber as an executive director and be responsible for Uber's finances.

In the future, Uber will continue to raise funds. Although the equity controlled by Wang Guanxi will be gradually diluted, when Uber goes public, it should still hold 40% to 50% of the equity.

Although Kalanick and Gerrit Kemp are partners, they are also Wang Guanxi’s agents.

When Uber raises funds in the future, everyone's equity will be diluted. If the two of them want to secure their positions as chairman and CEO of Uber, they will need Wang Guanxi's support.

Kalanick suddenly said: "Mr. Wang, you will be my boss from now on."

Gerrit Kemp said directly: "BOSS!"

Wang Guanxi smiled and said: "Let's make money together. I will make Uber develop rapidly. You guys work hard. I believe Uber will become a super unicorn in Silicon Valley in the future!"

"Yes, BOSS" The two of them were excited.

I didn’t expect that I would be spotted by a super rich man, and it would be a lifetime honor to become a partner with a billionaire.

Luo Baowen said: "BOSS, I have researched Uber. This company's ideas are very promising, and it can also be said to be a great help to our Ford Motor Company!"

"Yes!" Wang Guanxi nodded, and then said: "Actually, Uber's business model belongs to the sharing economy."

"Ah? Sharing economy model?" Luo Baowen was curious.

Wang Guanxi smiled and explained: "Well, the term sharing economy was first proposed by Marcos Felson, a sociology professor at Texas State University, and Joan Spence, a sociology professor at the University of Illinois."

"You can look at the paper the two of them published in 1978"

“The main feature is that it includes an information technology-based market platform created by a third party.”

Everyone began to listen attentively. Wang Guanxi continued: "This third party can be a commercial institution, organization or government. Individuals use these platforms to exchange idle items, share their knowledge and experience, or raise funds from enterprises or innovative projects. .”

"Now let's look at Uber. The App that Uber is about to launch is a sharing economy platform. Taxis and drivers are idle goods and idle labor, and car rental customers are the demand side."

At this time, Luo Baowen understood, nodded thoughtfully, and said by analogy: "BOSS, Uber is just a type of sharing economy. There are still a lot of idle items and idle labor on the market. If we use them, wouldn't it be another An Uber?”

Wang Guanxi smiled and said: "Secretary Luo is so smart. Yes, with the development of the times and the advancement of technology, there are actually many things that can be made into shared economy business models. For example, shared bicycles, shared power banks, shared spaces, and shared vacations , shared meals, shared basketballs, shared umbrellas and other new forms of sharing economy.”

When everyone heard it, they immediately felt full of creativity.

In the next few days, Wang Guanxi mobilized a large number of engineers from WhatsApp and Twitter to Uber to jointly develop a taxi app.

Under the original creative template, a taxi-hailing APP was quickly launched.

Uber is officially launched!

Then Ford Motor Company, Macy's Department Store, Tesla Motors, Silicon Valley Bank, East West Bank, Fifth Third Bank, Huntington Bank, Facebook, Bank of Hawaii, Hawaiian International Hotel, GBE USA, Holden Housing Company announced their cooperation with Uber. Cooperate to promote this taxi-hailing software.

At the same time, many partners and suppliers also came to help promote it.

Murdoch's news media also came to help. After all, Wang Guanxi had previously spent US$550 million to buy Lanai Island and invested US$100 million in [Avatar].

There are also Hollywood stars as endorsements, and the great director Cameron personally took a taxi and demonstrated the Uber app!

“When you go out to take a taxi, use the Uber taxi app which is cheap and convenient!!!”

“Uber is always on call, a must-have when going out!!!”

“When you download the Uber mobile APP for the first time, you will receive a $2 coupon. In addition, the first 10 million registered users in the world will have the opportunity to draw a super grand prize of $1 million!!!”

Uber taxi app, you deserve it! "

"..."

Uber’s ads are overwhelming.

For a time, the number of Uber downloads increased dramatically.

Uber’s taxi price surprises many people. Not to mention the $2 coupon, the taxi price alone is nearly half the price of an ordinary taxi!

"Let me go, isn't Uber afraid of losing money? I did some calculations. If I take a taxi with Uber, it only costs about 4.55 US dollars for more than 20 kilometers. If I take a taxi, I'm afraid it will cost 8 US dollars!" One user tutted, feeling that Uber is too expensive. Cheaper!

"Taking a taxi with Uber is indeed very cheap, and you can also call a taxi in advance. Everyone must have experienced that it is really difficult to call a taxi when the traffic is heavy!"

"Yeah, I often wait on the side of the road for a long time but can't get a taxi!"

“Under normal circumstances, an Uber car will arrive at the requested location within three minutes. I think this time is quite fast and I can afford to wait. If you are lucky and the Uber car is nearby, you may not even need a minute! !!”

"Actually, we can use Uber to call a car before we go out. By the time we go out, the car will be almost there!"

In addition to the ride value that attracts people, the $1 million raffle is also particularly attractive.

Although you have to draw a lottery from so many people, what if you are lucky and win? Then wouldn’t he become a millionaire?

The number of Uber downloads is increasing.

Countless investment companies and Internet companies were astonished. They never expected that a taxi-hailing software would come out of nowhere and be so awesome!

"It's so creative. Uber can be called the most creative Internet design in 2009!!!" commented a senior Internet expert in the United States.

An American Wall Street investment banker shouted in shock: "Oh, God, in just one day, Uber has created a legend. It is really unbelievable! There is no doubt that it is the next unicorn!!! Oh! , no, it’s not a unicorn, it’s a super unicorn!!!”

The president of an Internet company in the United States couldn't help but sigh: "Oh, I never thought that there would be a taxi-hailing software like Uber. It's so creative!"

"President, Uber is so popular, why should our company also make a taxi-hailing app?"

····

In just one month, Wang Guanxi used the huge resources to quickly develop Uber to 30 states in the United States!

The Uber APP taxi-hailing software gives people the feeling that a spring breeze blows overnight and thousands of pear trees bloom.

Seemingly overnight, the entire United States knew about this typing software.

Especially Uber is very popular among young people, and using this app to hail a taxi immediately became a fashion and a trend.

With the popularity of Uber, tens of thousands of taxi drivers and private car drivers are preparing to join Uber to earn some extra money.

Uber has also established an effective trust mechanism.

The Associated Press said: "Since the emergence of Uber, the 'sharing economy' has truly appeared in people's lives, and the sharing economy has become the target of people's research."

The Wall Street Journal stated: “According to assessments by Wall Street authorities and investors, Uber’s valuation exceeds US$500 million and will soon exceed US$1 billion. Many venture capital institutions are interested in this company and plan to invest in it. Financing, but this company is not short of money at the moment!”

Fox News: "Rupert Murdoch, Cameron, and many other celebrities have used this taxi-hailing app, and they are also introducing the benefits of this taxi-hailing app to their fans on Facebook! Fans are also talking about it, and many of them are talking about it. I tried them all and found them to be very useful!”

San Francisco Times: "A new investment institution plans to invest in Uber, and its latest valuation has reached $800 million."

The popularity of Uber immediately ignited the mobile Internet taxi-hailing software market, and countless companies are preparing to enter this industry!

But Uber has already seized the opportunity!

Goldman Sachs, Menlo Ventures, and Jeff Bezos called directly to ask for financing, because Wang Guanxi is the majority shareholder of Amazon, and Amazon also promotes taxi-hailing software.

Then Fidelity Investments, Wellington Management, Kleiner Perkins Caufield \u0026 Byers, Summit Partners, Google Ventures, Menlo Ventures, and other companies called to raise funds for Uber!

Soon an investment institution directly valued Uber at US$1 billion!

Kalanick and Gerrit Kemp did not expect that Uber would develop so rapidly in just over a month, thanks to the huge energy of BOSS.

There are so many big companies, so many celebrities, and Hollywood superstars are endorsing it. In more than a month, Uber has swept half of the United States!

"BOSS, do you want to accept financing?"

Wang Guanxi asked: "Are you short of money now?"

Kalanick said: "A lot of money has been burned, and a lot of bank loans have been spent. Although there is no shortage of money now, if this continues, there will be a shortage of money."

Wang Guanxi said: "Then let them raise funds!"

This company, Uber, is a money-burning company. It keeps losing money, but all in order to seize the market!

Just burn the money of other financial institutions and share the cake together, so the market will be bigger.

Uber is targeting the global market!

With the power of capital, it has grown rapidly. Before other ride-hailing companies have been established, Uber has occupied the majority of the market share. How will other taxi-hailing companies play by then?

But now we just have to burn money, burn money.

Wang Guanxi will not continue to provide funds, let other investors use the money to burn, and push Uber to go public in the future.