Chariot recently announced its acquisition by Ford Smart Mobility. As one of the company's first investors, we couldn't be prouder! Chariot's crowdsourced commuter shuttles provide a reliable transit option for city residents. We invested in Chariot in the summer of 2014 – when the company had just launched its first route in San Francisco. Now Chariot runs 28 routes in the Bay Area, served by 100 vans.
Chariot is a great example of urban innovation in action. Chariot founder Ali Vahabzadeh identified a problem that he experienced every day (trying to get to/ from work) and built a company to address that challenge. We were impressed with his determination – in the span of a few weeks, Ali launched a scrappy pilot and made his solution a reality. From the beginning, he was out in the street, talking to commuters about their pain points. We're excited to continue supporting entrepreneurs like Ali and hope that Chariot's success will inspire other entrepreneurs to tackle our toughest urban problems.
PS Want to meet the next generation of urban innovators? Attend our reception on September 19th where we'll announce the winners of our Urban Clean Energy Prize.