Brazilian ride-hailing app 99 was formerly known as 99Taxis.
The company launched in São Paulo in 2012, founded by Paulo Veras, Renato Freitas, and Ariel Lambrecht. Its original identity focused on connecting passengers with taxis through a mobile application, which explains the “Taxis” name in 99Taxis.
As the business expanded, it broadened beyond traditional taxi bookings and adopted the shorter 99 brand. The platform grew across Brazil and developed multiple services, including taxi and private-vehicle options. That rebranding reflected a shift from a taxi-only identity to a wider mobility marketplace.
Readers sometimes confuse 99 with Cabify or Easy Taxi because all competed in Brazil’s app-based transport market. They are separate companies. DiDi invested in 99 beginning in 2017 and purchased the remaining stake on January 3, 2018, making 99 part of DiDi’s international portfolio.