Over the period of a decade we’ve seen how great startups have successfully changed the dynamics of the economy. While the key to a successful startup remains a great idea with an investor to back you up, luck surely plays a pivotal role.
Uber is one such example of a startup who has over the years matured into a successful cab service provider with its presence globally. The company also recently announced it’s decision to go public next week, exactly a decade after it was founded.
And with Uber set to be valued between $80 billion and $91 billion in its public offering, the individuals, companies, and VCs that have backed the company through its journey are all set to make a killing. Here are some of the prominent ones.
1. Founder Collective: The seed stage fund had invested $100,000 into Uber in 2010. The stake is worth $300 million 9 years later, which is a return of nearly 3,00,000 percent for the firm.
2. First Round Capital: The VC firm had been one of the earliest backers of Uber, investing $1.5 million into the company in 2010-11. After Uber’s IPO, the stake is set to be worth $2.6 billion, which represents an astonishing 1,70,000% return over the last 9 years.
3. Chris Sacca’s Lowercase Capital: Shark Tank judge Chris Sacca had a $2.45 million stake in Uber. After the IPO, the stake is going to be worth $2 billion, representing a 80,000 percent increase on the investment.
4. Jeff Bezos: Amazon founder, Jeff Bezos had also been an early investor in Uber, having invested $37 million in its Series B round in 2011. That stake is now estimated to be worth close to $400 million, giving Bezos, who’s already the world’s richest man, a 1000% return on his investment.
5. Google: Google was also an early investor in Uber through Google ventures, investing a total of $318 million in 2013 and 2014. That relationship didn’t pan out quite as well — Google’s self driving unit Waymo had sued Uber for allegedly stealing its proprietary technology. But the investment stayed, and Google’s stake will now be worth $3.1 billion, a 975 percent return in five years.
6. Softbank: Softbank had become Uber’s largest shareholder last year, investing $6.6 billion into the company. With Uber going public, the stake is expected to be worth $10 billion, making Softbank a cool 50% gain in a year.
