The utility and practicability of these gig economy companies is hard to discern, given that many of them own nothing other than a platform. Aside from the initial capital needed, what is to prevent a group of taxi drivers from creating their own worker co-op and building an app just like Uber - thus taking out the middleman? Ditto for Homejoy's cleaners, or Postmates' cyclists? After all, if you own all the tools that you need to work, it makes no sense to be giving a cut of your money to a middleman.