The Business Model
In 2017, Travis VanderZanden, who had previously worked for Uber, had an idea to create an electric scooter ride-share fleet in Santa Monica, California.
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Residents and tourists could pick up the scooter at a charging station, drive it comfortably to their destination, and — this was the best part — leave them wherever they wanted.
Beating the Traffic
Travis VanderZanden told Santa Monica Daily Press, “We know the city has parking and traffic problems like the rest of LA. We feel like it’s a great city for all of those reasons, and we feel Bird can have a big impact on traffic and parking.”
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And while some were skeptical of the idea, such as the Santa Monica mobility manager, then Francie Steffan, decided, “The most healthy way is to offer a diversity of options that coexist for the long term.”
Bird’s Big Success
VanderZanden’s company, which he called Bird, was an immediate success. And since things went so well for them in Santa Monica, they took their idea up to the Bay Area within the first year.
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By 2018, Bird was valued at $1 billion, and at that time, it was the fastest startup to ever hit that milestone.
It Wasn’t All Smooth Sailing
Although financially it seemed like Bird was doing great, behind the scenes, there was quite a bit of drama.
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Bird was facing lawsuits left and right for functioning without a valid license, as well as a cease-and-desist from a lawyer in San Francisco.
The Scooters Were Proving Problematic
As well as its less-than-perfect business practices, Bird was always facing intense scrutiny for how its scooters were being used.
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Users were riding them illegally on sidewalks and leaving them haphazardly on the street when they were done. People were riding without any safety gear, and they, as well as the pedestrians around them, were consistently getting injured.
Bird Kept the Party Going
Even with all the drama, VanderZanden decided to continue to grow Bird. Not only were the scooters available all over the U.S., but they could also be found in Canada, Australia, Portugal, France, and many other countries.
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But overgrowth and underuse led to immediate financial issues; in 2021 Bird went public with an estimated value of $2.3 billion, but it did not do well on the stock market.
The Final Year of Bird
Toward the end of 2022, Bird’s stock was all but worthless, and it was soon taken off the New York Stock Exchange.
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Founder and CEO Travis VanderZanden was fired from his role as CEO, and it soon became clear that Bird had been lying for years about its actual revenue.
Bird Goes Bankrupt
In November 2022, the company officially filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Apparently, the move was tactical, and the company plans to keep going but with fewer debts.
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And they do have quite a bit of debt; experts report that they owe anywhere between $100 million and $500 million to more than 300 cities, including the $5 million it owes to Amazon Web Services.
A New CEO at the Wheel
After VanderZanden was removed from his position of CEO just before the filing became public, Michael Washinushi was hired for the role.
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And while he certainly has a big task in front of him, Washinushi appears hopeful that he can get Bird back on track.
What Bird CEO Has to Say
Michael Washinushi said in a company statement regarding the bankruptcy, “This announcement represents a significant milestone in Bird’s transformation.”
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He continued, “We remain focused on our mission to make cities more livable by using micro-mobility to reduce car usage, traffic, and carbon emissions.”
Bird Scooters Aren’t Going Anywhere
It’s still unclear whether Bird will scale back its operations from the over 350 cities where it currently operates.
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However, it seems that, at least for the time being, people around the world can still expect to see Bird scooters driving through the streets.