French startup Drivy, a private car rental company, has just been bought by its American competitor Getaround for $300 million. A look back at this new acquisition and the changes to come.
Drivy, in a few figures
Created in 2010, Drivy was present in 170 cities and 6 countries in Europe. It had 2.5 million users and 55,000 shared vehicles. Launched in 2011 in San Francisco, Getaround is present in 140 cities with 5 million users. The new company will then be present in more than 300 cities between Europe and the United States.
A common goal for a city without cars
Both companies offer the same services and have the same goal: to limit the space for private cars in the city. As Paulin Dementhon, Drivy’s CEO, points out: “We share the same mission and are both convinced that car sharing is still in its beginnings. The merger seemed obvious at the time, and the result was the creation of the world leader in carsharing. “We’re excited to join forces with Drivy to bring us one step closer to our goal of a world where all vehicles are connected and shared,” said Sam Zaid, Getaround founder and CEO.
No significant change yet
For now, no changes for Drivy users, but “in a few months, we’ll be adopting the name Getaround. Gradually, we will move to a single application, so that you can book cars in Europe and the United States. That’s what Paulin Dementhon, who will be heading up the European division, explains. The former Drivy employees should also keep their position in Getaround’s European business.
