The Rise of Grab: How I built a $2 billion a year super app

Anthony Tan is the co-founder and CEO of Grab, a "super app" that has built itself into the very infrastructure of eight major Southeast Asian countries.
Grab provides day-to-day services, such as ride-hailing, payments and food delivery, to over 35 million users. It is also a source of income for more than 13 million drivers and merchants.
The company went public on the Nasdaq in 2021 and brought in $2.36 billion in revenue in 2023, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It.
Yet, despite coming from a wealthy Malaysian family and attending Harvard Business School, Tan said his journey to success has been far from easy.
"My father used to remind me, 'Your grandfather beat this into our heads, and now it's our turn to beat it into yours. You can sleep all you want when you're dead,'" Tan said.
Fierce competition from Uber and family turmoil were just some of the barriers he had to overcome over the years.
"In a weird kind of way, I'm grateful because it helped me realize I had no other option but to make it work," Tan said.
"Those pushed me to say, 'Look, I can create something that solves real societal problems,'" he added.
Watch the video above to learn more about Grab's rise, as well as what the company hopes to accomplish next.
#CNBC #Grab #Entrepreneur
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[@patricktan4332]

His dad is a traditional Chinese businessman with a very successful biz carrying the legacy torch from his father and naturally want AT to continue the legacy build up by his grandfather. So despite of Grab's success, it'll never please his father. But deep down, AT's is sure damn proud of his achievements.

[@akane8615]

He literally renounced his Malaysian citizenship, doubt his dad is very happy with him. Also, there's probably more to the story since even his co founder step down from grab.

[@Jungernaut]

The production quality of this video is incredible. Learned a ton - very inspiring story 👏

[@sonderexpeditions]

I used grab for Thailand and Indonesia is 2018. Loved it!

[@aungerz]

Enjoyed the storytelling! Made Anthony more relatable than just another founder.

[@pravinsukumaran6080]

Should have interviewed the drivers as well....then the whole story would be clear

[@humbaobao6206]

Spending is easy, I mean.. I'm not sure what's so hard bringing in $2b a year in revenue.. while having net loss of $400m

[@bavaanipriya2285]

Please. His uncle is one of the richest person in Malaysia. He’s from a wealthy family. Easy to build anything.

[@testing6753]

it may be easier but it's never "easy" to build anything.

[@feederchua]

Exactly, also had alot of support from his family to help take financial pressures of worker costs at the start. Still im the red most years. Why are we giving these sorts if companies time in the sun!?

[@warrenquviart388]

ya'll act like being rich means no suffering

[@editorjohn8803]

If building something is level 10 difficulty, being middle class makes it level 8, and being wealthy is level 6. I’d say level 6 is still difficult

[@gnuwaves743]

I’d say it’s harder to fail (better access to capital) and easier to try again if you do.

[@1337hacks]

11:57 This part about his dad not speaking to him is so sad.

[@eilois]

scooter ride share is even more inhumane form of ride-sharing. 30% cut, no benefits because of "mutual" relationship

[@forrest714]

It's a lot easier to succeed when you have rich parents, and a great job where your dad owns that company to fall back to. Most people fail and have to go back to a 9-5 and try again in a few years.

[@nooraffendymohamedali7308]

14 millions jobs for SEA population is remarkable

[@mrama5830]

lol guy was already a millionaire and got the money from his mum, this is a joke

[@synkopy]

you can acquire Tan Chong, driverless fleet

[@Dasani31]

Why your apps unable to issue invoice for every services 🤔

[@jreyfortich]

-70% share price depreciation since IPO 😂

[@gxguy2906]

The stock is not the company. Buying time

[@SohaiKia]

yeah is a conmen company that never made a single cent of profit, boycott it

[@oluwaseunayegbusi6724]

Thank you

[@Kushal6831]

Thanks for sharing 🙏🙏

[@beinsports9555]

Bro is rich rich

[@michaelbrata5036]

Great personality, love it :)

[@alexmacgregor]

Lost $435 million last year too lol.

[@youtubeattacker]

His dad couldn’t accept how the company treats its partners over the years. It’s all on the news.

[@kk22001]

Please la, if the grab business model is broken there is so much AI can help you

[@captainXD1]

Pls la ... Even after so many years and ipo.. How company is still bleeding😂😂 how is he being advertised still?😂

[@norman6499]

This type dont really get respect from mass, simply because he got the luxury of rich background to take risk..

[@yangli8142]

This guy is amazing but hes putting on a show. He talks about helping people earn money and then subsequently talks about autonomous cars which is going to do exactly the opposite of helping people earn money lol

[@ombule888]

A copy paste of Uber at the time in SEA?

[@rcs3681]

So??

[@Jed0328.]

They copied but did it better.

[@andytoh-toh6488]

He looks like Taiwan compere, his name is NoNo

[@mrtienphysics666]

Is Grabs providing real and proper jobs as claimed?

[@nathaliely1839]

wow

[@emmanuelharbor2350]

Inspiring.

[@Robertking1996]

Aww he's very genuine

[@gilberttello08]

✋✋ Philippines

[@kavirus26]

you stole ubers idea and pretending like its your by saying you wanted to solve taxi issues in malaysia.

[@Worasi]

who said it's uber's idea? and even if they stole uber's idea, they ended up beating uber at its own game! Grab bought UBER's south east Asia entire business. It's not about whose idea : ideas are cheap! execution matters the most! Solving problems in the US is not the same as solving the same problem in SEA

[@xo4205]

@@Worasi Business rules number 1, never ever says it's his first idea, when it's another brand are the first origin of the idea that already exist. Just said it, he got idea that origin from another brand.

[@stefanusunicorn7483]

ugh, look, this isnt about taking a side but your comment is rly funny. OFC ppl steal ideas from rivals. As if it never happened at all. Microsoft, samsung, google, etc. This is how the world works. Your sense of justice means garbage in the real world.

[@yewfaichan8931]

5 stars from host.. What about from driver partners? 😂

[@hazelnuts23]

thats a rich Grab driver.

[@celinecyq]

With all due respect sir, please fix your overpriced rates.

[@abdeldorado]

grab is my SEA’s best friend.

[@mfbj8006]

20% percent commission, ez 2 billion..

[@theja63]

Looks like Elon too

[@codylim1]

7:41

[@azizulhaniff9700]

inspiring

[@fkoff7649]

Just another copycat of Uber.

[@sgpropertybuyertherapy]

COPY CAT

[@anon_148]

Nobody cares

[@jrukawa11]

She is flirting