Startups

Uber is undoubtedly growing quickly and won a small victory with approval to operate in NYC, which appears to be enough work without raising a new round of funding, for now.

Hailo can block passengers and drivers for bad behavior, but the question now looms whether the TLC will block Hailo for jumping the gun.

The Mayor's Office, Airbnb, and SFO all talk about an ongoing "dialogue" and "conversation," but any timelines are vague and the city’s own neighborhood associations, let alone its residents, aren't yet part of the discussion. The sharing economy will one day be regulated in San Francisco, but there's still much work to be done.

It seems like taxi-hailing apps are controversial and disruptive in China, too, with authorities mulling a crackdown because of surcharges/fees. Perhaps Yongche would find a more receptive environment in New York City, where things are starting to loosen up for taxi apps.

Frequent travelers have plenty of incentive to earn miles through Rocketmiles, but the startup will have to expand its hotel options and offer a cleaner experience than its competitor for sustainable growth.

Many travel startups are prompted by the founders’ own travel experiences, but wanting the product you create doesn’t guarantee others will as well.

We've been aggressive on social travel startups from the beginning, but hybrid transaction-heavy models at scale -- like China allows -- definitely have a future.

Having celebrity names as investors often means little if the underlying business isn't sound, however trendy it may appear.