Empires - An Asian Business Podcast

Grab (MY/SG) | Uber vs Grab, Street Hails and Street Fight | 4/5

Oct 9, 2023

Anthony Tan, co-founder of Grab, and Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber, discuss the intense rivalry between their companies in Southeast Asia. Tan reveals how Grab evolved from a basic taxi app to a super app, capturing a dominant 70% market share after Uber's exit. They explore key survival tactics in the ride-hailing wars, including grassroots initiatives that gave Grab an edge. The conversation shifts from fierce competition to collaboration, highlighting Uber's strategic decision to sell its operations in the region and reshape the ride-sharing landscape.

34:50

Creator website

Episode guests

Anthony Tan

Dara Khosrowshahi

AI Summary

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Grab's success is attributed to its localized strategies and understanding of Southeast Asia's unique market needs, unlike Uber's Western-centric approach.

The intense competition between Uber and Grab led to a pivotal 2018 partnership that shifted from rivalry to collaboration, securing Grab's dominance.

Deep dives

The Intensity of Competition

The intense competition between Uber and Grab was marked by significant cash expenditures, with both companies engaging in aggressive funding strategies to establish dominance. Uber faced substantial financial losses, pouring billions into promotions, while Grab thrived by strategically adapting its approach to local markets. Grab's focus on survival led to desperate measures, such as seeking financial support from prominent entrepreneurs to pay employee salaries during critical cash burn periods. This aggressive competition highlighted the vital role of regional understanding and adaptability in the dynamic landscape of Southeast Asian ride-hailing services.

Intro

1min

Survival Tactics in the Ride-Hailing Wars

2min

The Ride-Hailing Showdown: Grab vs. Uber

16min

The Fire Dragon and the Resentful Driver: A Tale of Success and Frustration

2min

Uber's Unfulfilled Promises and Driver Struggles

6min

Rivalry to Partnership: The Shift in Ride-Sharing

8min

Let us get to know you - 1 minute survey ⁠link⁠

Grab is often referred to as the "Uber of Southeast Asia." However, it's quickly becoming a super app on which one can manage a significant portion of their lives, including investing. By market share, they dominate Southeast Asia, controlling approximately 70% of all rides after Uber's exit. Grab's journey from a fledgling taxi application in Malaysia to being valued at nearly 40 billion, representing the largest SPAC IPO on record, is nothing short of astounding. In its rise, it not only defeated Uber but also became an indispensable app for the 700 million people in Southeast Asia. In EP 1, discover the experiences that left an indelible mark on Anthony Tan and Tan Hooi Ling, the founders of MyTeksi, which later became Grab. In EP 2, join the team as they get gritty, clawing their way to the top and vying for driver attention. In EP 3, witness the relentless battle between Uber and Grab as the team struggles to fend off the industry giant. In EP 4, learn about the pivotal investments that transformed Grab into a behemoth and the all-out war that resulted in the greatest cash burns in Southeast Asian history. In EP 5, hear from industry insiders who shed light on Grab's impact and significance in the region.

We're looking to grow our team! Help support our productions here :') ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Me a Coffee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Want to discover more origins, rise & fall on Asian business empires? Follow us on our

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tiktok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ where we share 5 minute breakdowns of some of the most interesting Asian businesses.

Want to meet the team? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow me here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

If you love the style of Empires, and want similar content, check out:

📝💕 "⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Post, Love⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠", Essays on Love, Life and Everything in Between. (On ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)

🔪🩸 "⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heinous⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠", A Revive Look at the Most Heinous Crimes in Asia. (On ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)