REUTERS/Adnan Abidi
Uber CEO Travis Kalanick.
Eight years ago, Travis Kalanick launched a startup called UberCab in San Francisco.
Now, Uber is a global behemoth and one of Silicon Valley's most successful companies - and one of the most contentious.
Uber operates in nearly 600 cities worldwide, and it's said to be worth nearly $70 billion. The 40-year-old Kalanick is now said to have a net worth of more than $6 billion.
But Uber - and Kalanick - have been caught up in one scandal after another in recent months, leading to a four-month investigation, more than 20 firings, and Kalanick now taking a leave of absence from the company.
Here's how it all began.
Maya Kosoff contributed to an earlier version of this post.