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In the era of big data, a red-hot project like Shared Bikes could never escape the notice of Alibaba alone.
Someone must have already sensed the potential of Shared Bikes; Alibaba Group had simply taken the lead.
Ye Chen was certain that some companies were already quietly planning their own Shared Bike ventures.
Therefore, Ye Chen believed the project had to advance at top speed; before long, copy-cat Shared Bikes of every brand would spring up nationwide.
So right now Ye Chen's priority was to secure financing fast, seize the market, and—at the very least—capture the majority of users in the top-tier cities.
On this point, Ye Chen trusted that Alibaba's President Ma understood the urgency even better than he did.
Once the Group chose to invest, expansion would be swift.
Knowing Old Horse Brother as he did, Ye Chen was sure he wouldn't let the project slip; within three days he would definitely call to discuss financing.
Li Li drew a deep breath. "All right, then we wait and see."
Following Ye Chen's advice, Li Li had recently channelled all his energy into developing a short-video app.
A little over a month had passed; the team was fully staffed and the app had entered the development phase.
According to the engineers, their video app could launch very soon.
Alibaba Group Headquarters, Conference Room.
Old Horse Brother sat in the room; every major shareholder of the Group was present.
Opening the meeting, Old Horse Brother briefed the shareholders on his negotiations with Ye Chen about financing Shared Bikes.
One shareholder frowned. "We're investing thirty million yet only receiving thirty-five percent of the shares—doesn't that seem too little?"
"Exactly. They're just a small company—what gives them the nerve to offer us so few shares for thirty million?"
"I say we forget investing in them and just do it ourselves. Who do they think they are? If Alibaba Group takes this on, we'll definitely outperform them."
The shareholders voiced their views one after another; all agreed that thirty-five percent of the shares was unreasonable.
In their eyes, Alibaba's investment in such a tiny firm ought to be met with gratitude.
Yet this little company had the audacity to refuse, offering a meagre thirty-five percent of the shares.
Those thirty-five percent of the shares left the shareholders deeply displeased.
Old Horse Brother said, "Don't be hasty. Here's their Shared Bike data—take a look before you decide."
He handed the data to every shareholder.
He himself had reviewed the figures again with professionals.
To Old Horse Brother, the numbers were simply outstanding.
Within a single month of launch, Shared Bikes had attracted so many customers that even he found the speed astonishing.
And this success had been achieved in just one second-tier city; if rolled out nationwide, the profits would be staggering.
With his keen commercial instincts, Old Horse Brother felt Ye Chen's valuation of one billion yuan was no fantasy.
In truth, Old Horse Brother had considered cutting Ye Chen out and going it alone.
But he understood that copy-cats would soon swarm the sector.
Building their own version would waste precious time.
After all, Alibaba was not the only titan in the arena.
For instance, over at Penguin there was Little Horse Brother, another master of the quick follow.
His ability to imitate was no weaker than Old Horse Brother's—luckily his main battlefield was gaming.
Old Horse Brother knew that once Shared Bikes caught fire, the followers would number not one, but many.
His thinking aligned with Ye Chen's: grab the market fast, starting with every first-tier city.
After a dozen minutes the shareholders finished studying the data.
One asked in surprise, "President Ma, are you sure these figures are for just one month?"
"Yes, the growth rate is incredible—over a hundred thousand users so quickly?"
"Their user acquisition is geometric, and this is still only a second-tier city."
The shareholders stared in shock at the report; Shared Bikes had only been deployed in River City, covering just half of its main districts.
One hundred thousand bikes had produced such stunning numbers—greater deployment would yield even higher profits.
Most crucially, these results were from a single month; a nationwide launch would multiply growth geometrically.
Every senior executive of Alibaba Group present was a seasoned business elite.
They quickly caught the commercial scent of Shared Bikes.
One executive said, "The project's potential is huge; thirty million for thirty-five percent may seem low, but the upside is enormous. Judging by these numbers, a valuation of one billion yuan is entirely plausible."
Another shareholder then asked, "Since we're bullish, why not cut them out and do it ourselves?"
"By the time we build it we'll be late. The concept is simple, but even a month's delay could let other investors fund them and roll out nationwide, leaving us behind," another replied.
"So we must seize this chance at once; plenty of savvy firms across China are watching. Right now, speed equals profit," Old Horse Brother said calmly, scanning the room.
"Though we could do it ourselves, investing is the wiser move; customers remember the first brand best—late-comers only get the leftovers."
At his words the shareholders fell into thought.
They felt Old Horse Brother was spot-on.
Nationwide investors with vision were plentiful; Alibaba had merely spotted the project first thanks to its partnership with Shared Bikes.
Without the cooperation between their own payment platform and the bikes, they might have missed the project's potential.
A shareholder said, "With our thirty million, Shared Bikes' growth will accelerate; by the time copy-cats appear, we'll have locked up the market."
"President Ma, if you see no problem, we have none either."
"Right—so long as you lead us to profit, we'll follow you."
"President Ma, we trust your judgement; I'm in."
Almost every shareholder present voted in favour of Old Horse Brother's investment decision.