Uber: From Luxury Rides to Global Mobility Uber's journey began in 2009 with a simple idea: easier, cheaper transportation. Co-founders Garrett Camp and Travis Kalanick, spurred by a costly New Year's Eve experience, developed a mobile app initially offering only black car services in San Francisco. Early growth involved strategic hires focusing on technology and predicting arrival times with greater accuracy than existing APIs. The company faced early challenges, notably legal battles with competitors like Wingz, Inc. Uber's expansion involved adapting its model to incorporate regular drivers with UberX in 2012, significantly expanding its reach and affordability. By 2013, it operated in 65 cities and was named USA Today's tech company of the year. Subsequent years saw diversification into food delivery (Uber Eats), shared rides, and strategic acquisitions and mergers, including a significant deal with DiDi in China and Grab in Southeast Asia. The company also invested heavily in autonomous vehicle technology through acquisitions and partnerships, though these ventures ultimately saw restructuring and sales. Uber's trajectory includes periods of rapid expansion and strategic pivots, punctuated by significant investments and divestments. The company’s initial public offering in 2019 marked a significant milestone, followed by periods of restructuring and further acquisitions in delivery and other services. A recent security breach highlighted the evolving challenges of maintaining a global technology platform.