Uber’s European expansion plans may have hit a speed bump | TechCrunch

Last day to exhibit your breakthrough to 10,000+ tech leaders at Disrupt is on Oct 2. Book Exhibit Table Now. Disrupt doors open Oct. 13. Get your pass and bring someone with you at 50% off. REGISTER NOW. Back in February, Uber announced ambitious plans to launch in seven new European markets in 2026 — but now Financial Times reports that five of those launches are on hold. Country launches that have been paused include Austria, Norway, and Greece. Uber seemed to confirm the decision to FT, saying that recent launches in Finland and Denmark had been a “huge success,” so now it wants to “focus on continuing the momentum” in existing markets. Another likely factor in the decision: Uber’s continuing efforts to acquire Delivery Hero, a European company that rejected Uber’s €10 billion takeover bid in May. It seems Uber is still hoping to make the deal a reality. An industry source said that putting a pause on further expansion could help alleviate antitrust concerns around a potential acquisition, especially since Delivery Hero operates delivery services in several of the target countries. Get 50% off a second passThe Disrupt experience is meant to be shared. Get your pass and bring a