Uber Technologies Inc (UBER +2.07%) was founded in 2009 by Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp after the pair struggled to find transportation during a trip to Paris. Their idea was simple: use a smartphone app to connect riders with nearby drivers.
Since then, Uber has grown into a global platform operating in dozens of countries. The company doesn’t own vehicles or directly employ drivers. Instead, it earns revenue by taking a commission on rides, food delivery orders through Uber Eats, and logistics services through its freight business.
Today, Uber is a publicly traded company, which means ownership is shared among millions of investors.