Uber’s meteoric rise from a startup to a global tech giant has made its early backers extraordinarily wealthy. The company was founded in 2009 and those who took the risk and invested in Uber’s infancy have seen rewarding returns on their investments.
The First Round of Investments
In 2010, Uber—then known as UberCab—held its first official funding round, raising $1.25 million at a valuation of just $4 million. Investors included tech industry veterans and venture capitalists who saw potential in Uber’s disruptive business model. One of those early investors was real estate CEO Mike Walsh, who put in just $10,000—half of which came from a Tesla deposit he repurposed, CNN reported. Today, his stake is worth tens of millions.
Similarly, other early backers, such as First Round Capital, Lowercase Capital (run by prominent investor Chris Sacca), and venture funds linked to Silicon Valley heavyweights like Jeff Bezos and Google Ventures (now GV), saw major returns as Uber’s valuation skyrocketed.
Uber: Making Money
Uber’s expansion fueled its valuation growth. By 2011, the company was valued at $60 million, and by 2014, it had increased to a staggering $40 billion. Those who invested in the earliest days saw their shares appreciate at a high rate. When Uber finally went public in May 2019, its valuation stood at $82.4 billion. However, its IPO was rocky, with shares initially dropping below their debut price of $45 to $42. As of March 2025 Uber has a market cap of $160.07 billion and share price of around $75.60. This makes Uber the world’s 95th most valuable company according to CompaniesMarketCap data.
Estimates suggest that those who got in during the first funding rounds saw their investments multiply by over 10,000 times. For example, an investor who put in $50,000 during the 2010 round could have seen their stake grow reportedly to well over $500 million by the time Uber hit its peak valuation (though not verified), according to Danil Kislinskiy, founder and CEO of Go Global World and a general partner at GGW Ventures.
Celebrity Investors in Uber
Jay-Z was reportedly, though not confirmed, an early investor in Uber. He reportedly put in around $2 million when the company was valued at just $14 million. Similarly, Lady Gaga’s longtime manager, Troy Carter, also recognized Uber’s potential early on and invested in the company. Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and actor Ashton Kutcher were also among the early investors as well, according to Business Insider.
Travis Kalanick’s Cash-Out
Uber’s controversial co-founder and former CEO, Travis Kalanick, was also among the biggest financial beneficiaries. After stepping down as CEO in 2017, he gradually sold off his Uber shares, cashing out more than $2.5 billion, according to The New York Post. His complete divestment from the company marked the end of an era, but his early stake had already secured his status as one of the most successful entrepreneurs of his generation.
