Who Owns Hailo? Company Ownership Guide

Because the name “Hailo” refers to two entirely different, highly successful companies—the pioneering London black-cab ride-hailing app and the high-powered Israeli artificial intelligence chip manufacturer—ownership depends entirely on which context you mean.

1. The Ride-Hailing App: Hailo (London / European Taxi Service)

If you are looking for the owners of the famous smartphone app used to book licensed black cabs, Hailo does not exist as an independent entity anymore; it was acquired and merged into Europe’s massive mobility ecosystem.

• The Founders: Hailo was launched in London in 2011 by a unique alliance of three technology entrepreneurs—Jay Bregman, Caspar Woolley, and Ron Zeghibe—and three veteran London black cab drivers—Terry Runham, Russell Hall, and Gary Jackson.
• The Evolution & Ownership Change:
  • Backed by major venture capital firms (such as Atomico, Accel Partners, Union Square Ventures) and notable investors like Sir Richard Branson, Hailo expanded globally before facing fierce competition.
  • In late 2016, Hailo merged with myTaxi, a subsidiary of Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz).
  • By 2019, myTaxi rebranded entirely to Free Now. Today, the infrastructure that was once Hailo is part of Free Now, which operates as a joint mobility venture majority-backed by major automotive giants like BMW Group and Mercedes-Benz Group.

2. The Deep-Tech AI Company: Hailo (The Edge AI Chip Innovator)

If you are referring to the high-growth semiconductor startup famous for building specialized deep-learning processors (such as the Hailo-8) that empower edge devices and automotive systems with AI, ownership changed following a major corporate acquisition.

• The Founders: Hailo was founded in Israel in 2017 by Orr Danon (CEO), Avi Baum (CTO), and Hadar Zeitlin (Chief Business Officer)—all alumni of elite technological units within the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
• Growth & Major Investors: Prior to its acquisition, Hailo raised over $340 million from high-profile backers, automotive leaders, and institutional funds like OurCrowd, Poalim Capital Markets, and strategic industrial partners.
• Current Ownership: In July 2026, the American semiconductor giant Microchip Technology officially acquired Hailo, bringing its advanced neural-network processing technology directly under the Microchip corporate umbrella.