Blacklane, the global chauffeur specialist, is to be acquired by Uber Technologies.
Subject to regulatory approvals and other conditions, the deal is expected to close by the end of 2026.
An announcement said the acquisition of Blacklane will further accelerate Uber’s recently-announced move into the chauffeur sector with Uber Elite, and will support Uber’s ambition to deliver “best-in-class service to more customers around the world”.
Uber said pre-booked Uber Reserve trips have become one of the fastest growing parts of its mobility business.
“Premium travel is one of the most exciting growth areas of Uber’s business,” said Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi.
“We want to offer the widest selection of options to meet our riders where they are: from the everyday commute to luxury rides. We’re incredibly impressed by what Blacklane has built and we’re eager to work with them to amplify how we deliver truly exceptional service to more people in cities around the world.”
Dr. Jens Wohltorf, founder and CEO of Blacklane, said it was a “momentous day for the German scale-up community” and told his team to “take a deep breath”.
“Fifteen years after our vision to make premium travel frictionless, we are bringing luxury hospitality expertise to Uber as a leading player in mobility,” he said.
“This partnership marks a significant milestone in Blacklane’s next chapter and is a powerful step-change in introducing our service to new markets globally.
“We move forward with our focus firmly on the things that make Blacklane special. Uber is the right partner for Blacklane. We have each reshaped our respective categories, and we are united in our ambition to be best-in-class.
“To say our next chapter will be powerful is an understatement.”
Founded in a one-room office in Berlin in 2011, Blacklane now operates in over 500 cities across more than 60 countries.
Several key members of Blacklane’s UK-based team have recently left the company as part of a shake-up, including former Global Director of Sales Jason Dunderdale.
