Fundings in big businesses can get quite convoluted. There are many levels of fundings, and you never really know where the money is coming from. But this can also have hilarious consequences, as Apple’s recent funding of Chinese cab aggregator Didi showed.
Now Didi is in a slugfest with Uber over the Chinese taxi market. The two companies are bitter rivals, and are going all out to outdo the other in what could be the world’s biggest taxi hailing industry. But with Apple backing Didi with a $1 billion investment, the Uber CEO doesn’t merely need to worry about the new financial muscle that Didi obtains – there are some pressing personal issues too.
girlfriend owns @apple shares which makes her a didi investor… #Smh #ridesharewars #domesticissues #thanksALotTim
— travis kalanick (@travisk) May 13, 2016
Travis Kalanick’s girlfriend owns shares in Apple. With Apple’s investment in Didi, her money will essentially fund the Chinese company as it tries to push Uber out of China.
Kalanick seemed to be able to see the lighter side of it though. But the couple probably doesn’t want to watch business news together anytime soon.