Uber had a very big year in 2015. Not only did it become an undisputed household name; despite its legal battles, the ride-sharing service doubled its number of drivers. The company, currently valued at $51 billion, has carved out a large stake in the sharing economy and rumors suggest that it may be one of the hottest IPOs in 2016.
In addition to announcing its purchase of the 330,000-square-foot, seven-story Uptown Station, the former Sears building in downtown Oakland, Uber made some headway into the meetings and events industry by announcing that UberEvents‘ beta program would allow hosts and planners to arrange guest passes that set up rides for attendees to and from events.
1. Uber Teams Up with Starwood
Uber passengers can earn one Starwood Preferred Guest reward point for each dollar they spend on the service, thereby boosting app use in big cities such as New York, San Paulo and Bangalore. Read more.
2. UberEvents Services Event Attendees with Prepaid Rides
The new service is handy for planners of all types, making it easy for attendees to get to a conference location or ensure they make it home safe for a holiday party or networking event. Read more.
3. Hilton Partners with Uber
Hotel guests can bypass the Uber app by booking their transportation directly through the HHonors app, which is already used to book, check into and unlock guest rooms. Read more.
4. UberEats Service Expands to San Francisco
The company also currently offers UberEats in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and Barcelona, Spain. Read more.
5. Uber Introduces Bus-Like Service
A new service, “Smart Routes,” is the latest addition to UberPool. It eliminates time-wasting and gas-wasting detours while providing faster rides. Read more.
6. Uber Makes Pivotal Move to East Bay
Uber is expected to move by 2017, joining the ranks of other tech companies that have offices in Oakland. Read more.
