Uber Said to Be Acquiring an Electric Scooter Rental Startup, but Has Not Yet Decided Which One

Uber is considering the acquisition of an electric scooter startup, The Information reports with reference to an unidentified source. A possible deal target could be one of Uber’s competitors in the sector,...

Uber is considering the acquisition of an electric scooter startup, The Information reports with reference to an unidentified source.

A possible deal target could be one of Uber’s competitors in the sector, Lime or Bird Rides Inc. Apparently, Uber has already had talks with the both companies, and the final decision can be made by the end of the year.

The both startups are promising scooter sharing companies. Lime and Bird Rides have been around for less than two years, but have already raised hundreds of millions of dollars and continue to actively seek additional funding.

Lime, which is officially called Neutron Holdings, Inc., has recently discussed a $3.3 billion investment with certain investors. Uber, in its turn, invested $1.1 billion in Lime in July. The value of Bird Rides is estimated to be at least $2 billion.

One of Uber’s competitors in the electric scooters market is SoftBank Group Corp., whose representatives in the past few weeks have met with all major startups in the area including Lime or Bird. At the moment, SoftBank is probably in the process of selecting the most promising company for investment.