After Yimin Wealth went public, most of the executives of Yimin Wealth returned to China. After all, there was still a lot of work to be done.
Ding Siyao took several people to Singapore to participate in the second round of acquisition bidding for Barclays Bank's wealth management business in Singapore and Hong Kong.
Zhang Yida, Xu Xiaoming, and Shen Beipeng went to Silicon Valley for a walk.
Zhang Yida sat in the car, looking through the car window at the shared electric scooters of several colors on the street, and frowned.
Although most of them are green scooters, there are also some scooters in other colors with "Lime" or "Bird" logos printed on them.
What he was most worried about happened, Green began to have competitors.
Zhang Yida, Xu Xiaoming, and Shen Beipeng arrived at Green Company and met company CEO Howard.
"Congratulations, Boss, on getting another listed company." Howard also knew about Yimin Wealth's listing, and he started flattering Zhang Yida as soon as he saw him.
"Howard, you disappoint me."
Zhang Yida said angrily, it's not that Howard failed to flatter him, it's that Green was beaten to his doorstep by his competitors, and he, the chairman, didn't even know about it.
"Boss, what's wrong? Are you dissatisfied with my work?"
Shen Beipeng and Xu Xiaoming didn't say anything. Although they were also shareholders of the company, they generally did not interfere in the company's management. At this time, they just sat aside and watched the excitement, acting as airmen.
"Didn't I tell you to be optimistic about your competitors? Now people are putting scooters in Silicon Valley, and I, the chairman, don't even know about it."
Howard looked at the furious Zhang Yida and smiled bitterly, "Boss, this is what happened in the past week. I just came back from Europe, so I haven't had time to report to you yet."
"Then tell me now, what's going on with Green's competitors?"
Seeing that Zhang Yida was really angry, Howard put away his playful smile and said seriously:
“Lime was jointly founded by Sun Weiyao, investment director of Kunzhong Capital, and Bao Zhoujia, managing partner of Kunzhong Capital.
At present, it has completed US$5 million in Series A financing, and a total of 5,000 Lime scooters have been manufactured, which are currently mainly deployed in San Francisco...
Bird’s founder, Travis VanderZanden, previously served as COO of ride-hailing software Lyft and vice president of Uber.
At present, Bird has completed $8 million in Series A financing and has produced a total of 10,000 Bird scooters, which have entered several cities such as San Francisco and Los Angeles..."
Howard carefully analyzed the situation of his competitors and continued: "Boss, you asked me to learn the tactics you used in the shared bicycle campaign in China. I have never forgotten it and have been acting according to your instructions.
Compared with the two competitors, which have no more than 10,000 scooters, our number of scooters has reached 200,000.
Within the next three months, this number will reach 400,000.
The two competitors currently cover one and two cities respectively, while we have now entered more than 50 cities in the United States.
In three months, this number will be 100."
Zhang Yida looked at Howard, who was full of confidence, and asked: "Green will double his change in three months. How do you know he won't have earth-shaking changes?"
Howard shook his head and said with a smile: "Definitely not. If nothing else, just one funding issue would stymie them.
Now everyone in Silicon Valley knows that Green has completed a $250 million Series A round of financing led by Google and Uber, plus 200,000 scooters and 50 cities.
Anyone who wants to enter this industry needs to think carefully.
Besides, isn't there a boss that you are in charge of?
Many investors in Silicon Valley have heard of you and know that you are an entrepreneurial genius. If they are your enemy, their chances of winning are slim.
I have to say, Boss, your "blitzkrieg" in China was really brilliant. You could easily defeat all your opponents by chopping melons and vegetables.
Including China’s “Uber” Didi and Ali Baba, they are all defeated by you.
To sum up, your existence, coupled with Green’s operating data, has brought great financing resistance to Green’s other competitors.”
Zhang Yida narrowed his eyes slightly and asked: "You mean, Lime and the others have encountered financing problems."
"Yes."
Howard said with a smile on his face: "I asked a friend to inquire about it. Lime and Bird want to conduct Series B financing, and I met with many investment institutions.
But unfortunately, investment institutions ruthlessly rejected them.
Because investment institutions believe that their chances of winning are already slim, and they are unwilling to gamble with them anymore.”
Zhang Yida thought for a while and realized that these two shared electric scooter brands must have encountered the same problem as Baimo and Xiaolan.
The gap from Green is too big, and investment institutions will take great investment risks if they enter at this time.
Otherwise, you will lose all your money.
"What if someone is willing to lower the valuation or sign a bet?"
Howard nodded, "Yes, it is indeed possible as you mentioned, Boss.
I have recently spread the word about Green's entry into Europe, and have made deals with many technology media. They will help us build momentum recently.
Even if they finally raise funds, the scale will be lower than expected and the conditions will be more stringent."
Zhang Yida looked at the bearded Howard, and he didn't expect that under his rough appearance, he had such a delicate and clear heart, full of bad things.
“Okay, if competitors want to raise funds and launch scooters, we can’t stop them.
How is work going on the European side?"
Howard replied: "At present, Paris, Berlin, and London have been selected as the first launch points, and 5,000 Green scooters will be launched in each city.
After the market observation period is over, it will be promoted to other cities and countries."
Zhang Yida said: "You are still spending money too slowly! I want you to spend the US$250 million in Series A financing as quickly as possible.
Three months later, we raised another round of financing.
Once this round of financing is completed, the market structure will basically be established.”
Howard understood what Zhang Yida meant, which was to pile up data like crazy. Isn't that what China's shared bicycles do?
"We can only try our best, because unlike China, shared bicycles and scooters in every city in Europe and the United States cannot be put into operation at will, and agreements must be signed city by city."
Zhang Yida smiled and said: "Expand the lobbying team a little more. Don't care about spending money. What I want now is speed and efficiency."
Howard hesitated to speak, feeling that Zhang Yida paid too much attention to his competitors. In order to suppress his competitors, he was completely desperate.
If something that can be accomplished in two months is compressed into one month, or even half a month, it will cost several times more money.
In Howard's view, even at the current pace of expansion, several competitors will not be able to catch up with Green.
"Okay! It's just that the marketing work will cost several times more."
Zhang Yida said arrogantly: "It doesn't matter, just follow my instructions."
Zhang Yida looked at Howard, whose face was full of incomprehension, and thought to himself, it is impossible for you to understand the old Chinese saying that "a lion fights a rabbit with all his strength."
In the previous life, Lime and Bird started at about the same time, and the financing pace and valuation were also similar.
Although there is no price war or free war like Xiaohuangche and Baimo, the market is divided into two.
Green now has a good opportunity to stifle his opponent, and he must not let it go.
If one person can dominate the track, why should he give some to others?
As for whether it will involve monopoly, we will discuss it in the future. The worst thing is to hire a good lawyer.
"At this pace, will Green's valuation have to double in the next round?"
Seeing that Zhang Yida had finished talking, Xu Xiaoming came over and said.
"Almost!"
In their previous lives, Lime and Bird both became unicorns with a valuation of US$2 billion within 18 months.
In Zhang Yida's opinion, Green's current performance will only be better than theirs.
Because Lime made some mistakes in the early stage, Shahuhu launched shared bicycles.
Compared with shared electric scooters, shared bicycles in Europe and the United States lack a bit of riding culture. Secondly, they are easily stolen and damaged.
Baimo and Xiao Huang also tried it overseas and learned a bloody lesson.
“What about profitability?”
Shen Beipeng is more concerned about this issue. In his opinion, there is no price war in foreign countries, and Green unlocking charges start at US$1. It should be easier to make profit than domestic shared bicycles!
"This question..."
Zhang Yida is also thinking about it. He has seen Green's economic model.
If you want to make a profit, you have to increase revenue and reduce expenditure.
Charging, maintenance and city launch permit costs are the biggest expenses for a bicycle. Saving money means spreading the low cost through economies of scale.
Scooter riding frequency and rates are open source, but there is a ceiling.
Assume: 5 people ride a scooter a day, and each person rides for half an hour for about US$5.50. The daily income of a scooter is US$27.50.
To get higher than this number, either increase the frequency of riding or increase the rate.
In the former case, there are only so many people in foreign countries and there are only so many bustling neighborhoods.
Even if Silicon Valley has many fans and a scooter is ridden ten times a day, other regions will bring the average down for you.
In the latter case, if the price increases too high, people will take a taxi or take the bus.
Another most powerful way is to think of ways to improve the quality and lifespan of bicycles.
If a shared electric scooter has a lifespan of 12 months, then Green will definitely catch the golden goose that lays eggs.
Because the scooters currently launched are basically scrapped after three or four months.
For Green to recover its costs, each scooter must work for at least four months or even longer.
"I have thought about some ways, but the best way is to work on hardware research and development to enhance the anti-theft function of the scooter, while making it more durable and the battery has a strong storage capacity..."
Zhang Yida began to explain Green's unit economic model to Shen Beipeng.
"Is it possible that Green will never be able to make a profit if it fails to achieve a breakthrough in hardware?"
Zhang Yida looked at Shen Beipeng and said with a smile: "To be honest, it may be what you said.
There will be profits in some areas, such as the United States and other developed countries. If you increase the rates, you can make profits.
Countries with weaker economies will probably have to lose money!"
Shen Beipeng did not expect Zhang Yida to be so honest, and felt that he had been on a pirate ship and could not get off.
"Is there no other way?"
Zhang Yida didn’t want to scare him, so he said: “Yes, if street charging piles are popularized, the cost of charging scooters can be reduced.
In short, everything is possible, don't be too pessimistic.
When Tesla first came out, everyone thought it was doomed."
"You're too naive! You can almost predict what will happen in the future, and you are still expanding crazily to Europe."
Zhang Yida smiled and said: "If you don't try it, how will you know? There is hope for profit."
Shen Beipeng scratched his hair, Zhang Yida was using venture capital money to experiment!
I made up my mind that I would no longer follow in the investment process and let the Wall Street tycoons do it!
Or Masayoshi Son can fool him. Having just received money from an oil tycoon, he likes to invest in projects with serious losses.