Despite regulatory hurdles, angry cabbies and the occasional heated altercation, Uber is expanding and Australia is in the crosshairs for growth thanks to over a billion dollars in new funding.
Uber founder, Travis Kalanick, published a blog post today revealing that the company had just completed a new funding round that has seen an additional $1.2 billion injected into the business.
According to founder Kalanick, the funding will flow freely into the Asia-Pacific region where there is room for “substantial investments”.
Uber is operational in most major Aussie capitals these days, and with new funding flowing into the region, the transport app giant will likely push into new offerings like the UberPOOL car-pooling service for starters.
The Uber founder also acknowledged its public asshole problem in the post (that is: Uber employees being assholes in public), and vowed to change the internal culture following several high profile incidents:
The events of the recent weeks have shown us that we also need to invest in internal growth and change. Acknowledging mistakes and learning from them are the first steps. We are collaborating across the company and seeking counsel from those who have gone through similar challenges to allow us to refine and change where needed.
Fortunately, taking swift action is where Uber shines, and we will be making changes in the months ahead. Done right, it will lead to a smarter and more humble company that sets new standards in data privacy, gives back more to the cities we serve and defines and refines our company culture effectively.
Whether you love or hate Uber, it looks like it’s here to stay. [Uber]