Outsmarting Uber
The a16z Show
Outsmarting Uber: Why Bolt Wins in Europe
- Published
- July 2, 2026
- Duration
- 41:15
- Summary source
- description
- Last updated
- Jul 5, 2026
Discusses What does it take to build a global mobility company from a country of just 1.3 million people? Mark…
Summary
What does it take to build a global mobility company from a country of just 1.3 million people? Markus Villig, founder and CEO of Bolt, joins the show to share how he scaled from Estonia to 50+ countries, navigating early scrappy days, a near-bankruptcy from expanding too fast, and the hard-won lessons behind Bolt’s capital-efficient growth. They also dis…
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Show notes
What does it take to build a global mobility company from a country of just 1.3 million people? Markus Villig, founder and CEO of Bolt, joins the show to share how he scaled from Estonia to 50+ countries, navigating early scrappy days, a near-bankruptcy from expanding too fast, and the hard-won lessons behind Bolt’s capital-efficient growth. They also discuss building in Europe vs. the U.S., competing against much better-funded rivals, and why culture and ambition matter more than regulation. Fi