US-based taxi booking app Uber has raised $1.6bn in convertible debt from Goldman Sachs Group’s wealth management clients, Bloomberg reported yesterday, citing people with knowledge of the matter.
Uber secured $600m from China-based internet company Baidu last month, lifting its total equity funding to $3.3bn, and sources told Bloomberg that the company is still in talks with hedge funds over a further $600m.
The six-year bond issued to Goldman Sachs clients will be converted to equity at a 20% to 30% discount to the company’s valuation if and when it goes public. Goldman Sachs initially invested in Uber as part of its $32m series B round in 2011.
Uber will invest the financing in research and development, safety improvements and international expansion.
Chief executive Travis Kalanick said earlier this week Uber hopes to add 50,000 jobs in Europe in 2015 if it can establish partnerships with European cities, despite the company facing regulatory issues in Spain, France, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands last year.
Existing investors in Uber include internet company Google, investment firms TPG, Fidelity Investments and Wellington Management, venture capital firms Sequoia Capital, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Menlo Ventures, CrunchFund, Lowercase Capital and First Round Capital, and VC fund Innovation Endeavors.