Lyft is a ridesharing company that launched in San Francisco in 2012 and has since expanded to 24 cities, providing over 30,000 rides per week. It has received $83 million in funding and takes a 20% commission per ride. While facing regulatory challenges from the California Public Utilities Commission, Lyft has strong customer loyalty and a thriving community of drivers, positioning it for continued growth as it expands into new markets despite competition from other ridesharing companies.