$LYFT Bird was founded in December 2017 and offers electric scooters in major U.S. cities. Users find a Bird scooter around town, unlock it by scanning the QR code on their mobile device using the Bird app, ride the scooter to their destination, and then drop it off for the next user. Bird saw plenty of early success in the U.S., reporting 10 million total rides roughly a year after the company’s founding. CEO Travis VanderZanden said that the company’s global expansion is a key part of proving to investors and users that Bird’s business model is viable at a large scale. “As we expand Bird’s global footprint, we will demonstrate unmatched innovation, commitment to riders, neighborhoods and cities and operational excellence while generating an explosive run rate,” VanderZanden said.