Uber Technologies Inc (UBER -0.96%) was founded in 2009 by Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp. The idea for Uber stemmed from their frustration with finding transportation in Paris on a snowy night in 2008. They envisioned a service that would allow users to request rides through a smartphone app, connecting them with drivers in their area. Kalanick and Camp were in Paris for a business conference when they found themselves stranded on a snowy night, struggling to find a taxi. This experience ignited the idea for Uber.
NYSE: UBER
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Camp and Kalanick initially envisioned a members-only service called UberCab, offering a combination of the convenience of a taxi and the experience of a professional chauffeur, according to the Guardian. In 2009, they launched Uber (originally UberCab) as an on-demand ride-hailing service in San Francisco, initially focusing on black car and limousine services. Uber distinguished itself by not owning cars or employing drivers directly. Instead, it acts as a platform that connects passengers with drivers. Uber rapidly expanded to major cities worldwide, transforming the transportation sector.
Uber Eats began as a pilot program called UberFRESH in August 2014, and it was launched in Santa Monica, California, by Uber. The initial idea was to use Uber's existing driver network to deliver food, a concept that evolved into the standalone Uber Eats app in 2015. Within a year of its launch, Uber Eats expanded internationally to cities like Toronto, London, and Paris. Over the years, Uber has grown through internal expansion as well as acquisitions of companies like Postmates and Careem.
Uber's core revenue comes from the commission it charges for each ride booked through its app and through commissions on food orders. Uber offers subscription services like Uber One, which provide discounts and other perks to subscribers. It also earns revenue from its freight business that connects carriers with shippers.
In this article, we'll explain who owns Uber. We'll cover the company’s largest shareholders, as well as who serves on its board of directors. We'll also walk you through the steps you need to take if you want to invest in Uber.
Who is the owner of Uber?
Many individuals own shares of Uber, but the majority of company shares are held by institutional investors, like banks and funds. Uber went public in May 2019, with its initial public offering (IPO) priced at $45 per share. The company raised $8.1 billion in its IPO, making it the largest U.S.-based tech IPO since Meta Platforms (META +0.02%)'s 2012 offering.
Individuals
- Turqi Alnowaiser: A prominent figure in the Saudi Arabian investment landscape and member of the board of directors at Uber. He also serves as the deputy governor and head of the international investments division at the Public Investment Fund (PIF), a sovereign wealth fund. Alnowaiser owns 72,843,048, comprising a 3.48% stake in shares outstanding.
- Dara Khosrowshahi: CEO of Uber, who has managed the company’s business in more than 70 countries around the world since 2017. Previously, he served as CEO of Expedia Group (EXPE +0.11%). Khosrowshahi owns 2,286,562 shares of Uber.
- Nikki Krishnamurthy: Nikki Krishnamurthy is senior vice president and chief people officer, leading Uber’s human resources, recruiting, workplace, and diversity, equity, and inclusion teams. Previously, Krishnamurthy served in various roles at Expedia, including chief people officer, vice president, and general manager of Expedia Local Expert. Krishnamurthy owns 671,919 shares of Uber.
- Tony West: Senior vice president, chief legal officer, and corporate secretary at Uber, leading the company’s global legal, compliance and ethics, and security functions. He served in the Obama administration, leading the Justice Department's legal strategy, including as an associate attorney general of the United States from 2012 to 2014. Before joining Uber, West served as general counsel for PepsiCo (PEP -0.10%), overseeing their legal affairs. West owns 565,713 shares of Uber.
- Ronald Sugar: Chairman of the board. Sugar is the retired chairman of the board and CEO of Northrop Grumman Corporation (NOC -0.48%), a global aerospace and defense company. Sugar owns 228,127 shares of Uber.
Institutional investors
As of early 2025, the following institutions are the top five largest holders of Uber shares:
- Vanguard Group: A registered investment advisor that manages a vast array of investment products, including mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). It was founded in 1975 and is known for its unique investor-owned structure and a focus on long-term, low-cost investments. Vanguard serves individual investors, institutions, and financial professionals, offering a range of services from investment management and advice to retirement planning and more. The Vanguard Group owns 8.64% of Uber, equivalent to 180.77 million shares for a stake valued at $13.6 billion.
- BlackRock (BLK -0.03%): The world's largest global asset management company. It offers a range of investment solutions, including ETFs and advisory services. BlackRock manages a massive amount of assets (more than $11.5 trillion as of 2024) for a wide range of clients, including individuals, corporations, and pension funds. BlackRock controls 155.04 million shares of Uber, a 7.41% stake valued at $11.67 billion.
- Capital Research Global Investors: An investment management firm, a subsidiary of Capital Research and Management Company, which is a subsidiary of The Capital Group Companies. It specializes in managing equity assets for clients, including institutional investors, foundations, and individual investors. Capital Research Global Investors controls a 5.65% stake in Uber, or 118.13 million shares. That’s a stake worth about $8.89 billion.
- State Street (STT -1.00%): A global financial services company primarily serving institutional investors. It operates as a bank holding company with a focus on investment servicing, markets and financing, and investment management. The company also provides various asset management solutions for its clients. State Street Corporation controls 85.25 million shares of Uber, a stake worth 4.08%, valued at $6.41 billion.
- Morgan Stanley (MS -0.79%): A large, global financial services corporation offering a wide range of services, including wealth management, investment banking, sales & trading, research, and investment management. They help individuals, families, institutions, and governments raise, manage, and distribute capital. Morgan Stanley controls a 3.87% stake in Uber, or 81.01 million shares valued at about $6.1 billion.
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How to invest in Uber?:
Because Uber is a publicly traded company, if you have a brokerage account, you can buy shares of the stock yourself. If you don't currently have one, creating an account on your chosen brokerage platform takes minutes and makes investing in stocks fast and simple. Make sure you select the brokerage that best fits your investment needs and goals.
You'll also want to figure out your budget before you invest in Uber. Diversifying your investment cash across a wide range of stocks can help you better compound your returns with time. Even if you are a beginner and have a smaller amount to invest, investing consistently and dollar-cost averaging your capital into quality businesses you understand can grow your portfolio through the years.
Be sure to research any company you buy before you add it to your portfolio. You need to understand the company's financials, its business, and its profitability and ensure the investment is the right fit for your portfolio preferences and risk tolerance level.
When the time comes to buy shares through your brokerage account, you'll need to pull up your account and make sure it's funded. Then, enter the ticker UBER in the search box and decide how many shares you want to buy. Many brokerage firms will also let you buy fractional shares of stocks. Once you've selected the number of shares you want, you can place your order for Uber stock.
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