Uber, the San Francisco-based mobile car reservation service, has raised $258 million in series C funding led by Google Ventures and Texas Pacific Group Capital.
The company had already raised about $50 million in multiple rounds of funding.
Uber connects travellers to cab drivers using its technology platform. In four years of operation, the company has expanded the service to 40 cities in 16 countries.
Recently, the company launched its service in Hawaii and multiple locations in Asia, including Shanghai (soft-launch), Taipei, and Singapore.
CEO and co-founder Travis Kalanick says:
"Our vision is to build a technology company that changes transportation and logistics in urban centers around the world, and this financing gives us the fuel to make that a reality.
"This new fund will be used to expand into new markets, accelerate customer and driver acquisition, and fight off protectionist, anti-competitive efforts."
Uber announced on its Facebook page that it is currently hiring all around the world, but with the majority of vacancies in Asia and Europe.
Kalanick adds:
"Google is a technology powerhouse, with billions of users on an incredibly complementary product suite ranging from Google Maps to Android to self-driving vehicles.
"We look to Google and Google Ventures for the strategic connectivity to their product initiatives alongside the expertise that comes with evangelizing new technology with governments and regulatory bodies around the world."
As part of the deal, David Drummond, SVP of corporate development and chief legal officer at Google, and David Bonderman, founding partner of TPG will be joining Uber’s board.
TechCrunch wrote a post on what the pair could be doing ten years from now, including how Uber might buy 2,500 driver-less cars from Google, Uber going public, auto-pilot driving lanes in California, and Uber sharing its data with the search giant.