Auto Rental News
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Car Rental Startup Kyte Raises $9M

Kyte’s monthly revenue has grown 400% since March. The company intends to expand its app-based rental system soon into Washington, D.C.

January 6, 2021
Car Rental Startup Kyte Raises $9M

Kyte delivery drivers (aka “surfers”) employ a contact-free rental process and often use collapsible electric scooters to travel to their next pickup point.

Photo courtesy of Kyte.

1 min to read


Car rental startup Kyte has raised $9 million in funding from DN Capital and Amplo VC, the company reported on Tuesday.  

Other investors participating in the round include Kayak and Travelocity co-founder Terry Jones, an early investor, Lime cofounder Toby Sun, and former Uber executives Jorg Heilig, Ed Baker, Josh Mohrer, and William Barnes.   

Ad Loading...

“We're using the money to invest heavily in technology and growth across North America,” cofounder Ludwig Schoenack told Auto Rental News. “We are always looking for new fleet owners of any size to partner with.” 

Schoenack said that Kyte’s monthly revenue has grown 400% since March. Kyte intends to expand soon into Washington, D.C., he said. Kyte launched in 2018 in San Francisco, followed by Los Angeles. In October, Kyte launched in Boston.  

San Francisco-based Kyte is an app-based rental system that delivers cars to clients. Kyte doesn’t own fleet, it partners with car rental companies and other fleet providers to put their inventory on the platform.   

“The pandemic has accelerated the transformation of cities and consumer behavior with respect to transportation,” said DN Capital’s Steve Schlenker, cofounder and managing director of DN Capital. “Kyte’s unique operations layer facilitates this transformation while providing a level of service and convenience that other solutions fail to meet.” 

More Rental Operations

Photos of CEOs Colm Brady and Francois Kruger on a blue background and above a headline.
Telematicsby News/Media ReleaseMay 22, 2026

RentalMatics, GeoInt Partner On Rental Car Speed Tracking Tech

Rental operators can now detect and act on speeding while vehicles are still on rent, thereby reducing fines, admin workload, vehicle wear, and safety risks.

Read More →
NextPass 407 ETR

NextPass Expands Toll Payment Service to Highway In Toronto

Fleets and consumer can use a transponder-less option when traveling between Canada and the U.S.

Read More →
A black Jeep is displayed at the Zubie-Bosch-TSD exhibit during the International Car Rental Show.

Zubie, PurCo Integrate Rental Damage Detection With Telematics

The combination brings actionable vehicle insights into PurCo’s PurInspect platform, improving damage detection and operational efficiency for rental fleets.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
50 states map showing LOR rates for each state with different shades of light to dark green

U.S. Length Of Rental (LOR) Declines Slightly in Q1 2026

LOR related to insurance claims overall continues to trend downward, but ongoing market and economic conditions could affect future results while the industry deals with staffing and productivity challenges.

Read More →
Illustration of a driverless futuristic front seat/dashboard view of other cars on a freeway with city skyline on horizon.

Hertz, Uber Deepen Roles In Self-Driving And Driver-Led Fleet Services

The business arrangement connects demand with scalable fleet management services and supports a range of mobility uses.

Read More →
A tech collage of electronic devices against a computer chip blueprint map.
Rental OperationsMay 1, 2026

Why Car Rental Can No Longer Run On Workarounds

The shift from branch-based software to connected operations is turning rental technology into strategic infrastructure.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A tech collage of electronic devices against a computer chip blueprint map.
Rental OperationsMay 1, 2026

Why Car Rental Can No Longer Run On Workarounds

The shift from branch-based software to connected operations is turning rental technology into strategic infrastructure.

Read More →
A black Audi SUV superimposed on a historic scene from downtown Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Carwiz Sets Up Rental Operations In Central Asia

The global franchise operation reaches a first in its rental fleet portfolio with new service in Uzbekistan.

Read More →
A raging brushfire in the countryside.
Rental Operationsby Martin RomjueApril 30, 2026

Where Rental Fleets Must Adjust To Shifting Catastrophe Risks

West Coast disasters pose unique challenges and liabilities for rental fleet operators, who are advised to take steps tailored to their specific situations.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
ARN Industry Newsmakers thumbnail page with ARN and ICRS logos and shots of Nick DiPrima and Martin Romjue
Rental Operationsby Martin RomjueApril 27, 2026

Using AI To Find Rental Car Damage

Angry car renters are storming social media, the mainstream media, and online ratings platforms to complain about charges they claim are either unfounded or excessive.

Read More →
Ad Loading...