Google enters the collaborative economy in a big way — from web-strategist.com by Jeremiah Owyang

Excerpt:

[On 2/3/15], Google has entered the Collaborative Economy with a series of announcements that leave a casual reader scratching their [heads]. But placing the announcements line by line, you can see an organized attempt to enter this space traditionally dominated by early stage startups.

  1. Google is a major investor in Uber and Lending Club.
  2. Google plans to roll out self-driving cars, competing with car manufactures.
  3. Google now resells P2P loans, competing with banks.
  4. Google partners with Airbnb and Lyft, challenging hotels and taxis.
  5. Google is reportedly building a ride hailing app to compete with Uber.