Travis Kalanick's robotics company Atoms raises $1.7 billion led by Andreessen Horowitz

Atoms, a robotics company from Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick, has raised $1.7 billion in a funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz. The round, which also included Uber as an investor, reconnects Kalanick with the company he was ousted from in 2017. Atoms, which acquired automation firm Pronto, aims to build a "wheelbase for robots," with investor Ben Horowitz declaring "Travis Is Back."

Atoms funding round

• ▪Travis Kalanick’s robotics company, Atoms, has raised $1.7 billion in a funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz.
• ▪Bain Capital, Fifth Wall, and Uber also participated in the $1.7 billion funding round for Atoms.
• ▪Ben Horowitz of Andreessen Horowitz will join the board of Atoms following the investment.

Kalanick's Uber history

• ▪Kalanick's 2017 departure from Uber followed complaints of sexual harassment, discrimination, and a toxic workplace.
• ▪Travis Kalanick co-founded Uber and was pushed out as its CEO in 2017.

Atoms business strategy

• ▪Travis Kalanick has stated he wants Atoms to enter the mining industry, expanding on what its acquisition Pronto already does.
• ▪Atoms is a rebranded holding company built on Cloud Kitchens, a ghost kitchen project Travis Kalanick started after leaving Uber.
• ▪Kalanick's stated goal for Atoms is to build a "wheelbase for robots."
• ▪Kalanick was previously interested in buying the U.S. arm of Chinese self-driving vehicle company Pony AI, but talks ended in March.

Pronto acquisition

• ▪Pronto was run by Anthony Levandowski, a former Uber colleague of Travis Kalanick.
• ▪In March, Travis Kalanick announced that Atoms had acquired Pronto, a heavy industry automation company.

Investor perspectives

• ▪Investor Ben Horowitz announced the investment in a post titled "Travis Is Back."
• ▪Ben Horowitz believes Atoms will focus on making people more productive in the physical world.

Hiring plans

• ▪A significant portion of the new funding for Atoms is expected to go toward hiring.
• ▪Kalanick referred to future employees as "Changemakers, the builders of tomorrow’s progress machines."

1 source