Of all the new funding announcements/rumors, I am happy for Urban Company the most.

  1. They have been working on this space for 7 years, seen multiple cycles.
  2. They pay and treat their workers well.
  3. Their safety-related work during covid was commendable.
  4. It was not just the safety-related work they took but also how they improved the safety perception on their app through clear messaging. I had downloaded close to 20 on-demand apps (or inspiration and I loved their changes the most.
  5. Marketplaces are leaky. I remember reading Homejoy’s growth story on FirstRound years earlier and getting super excited. Then they died. I think UrbanCompany has done a good job of building trust and retaining their customers and workers on their platform. I don’t use the app frequently. Maybe need it once a year. But I do default to them. Biggest to their future success: MyGate. As urban junta starts staying in societies and MyGate becomes the OS for societies, they can either build their service layer or integrate with other 3rd party services. Another competition: WhatsApp groups for buildings where people ask for contacts of plumbers/electricians.
  6. Coming back to UrbanCompany, I have always had a good experience with the product (app, web) as well as the service itself. They have thought out the workflow and it is pretty seamless.
  7. They are also helping blue-collar workers find jobs during a pandemic. It is commendable. Immense respect to them. Hope they continue crushing it post covid too.