Former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick returns to robotaxi race with startup Atoms
Former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick is reportedly building robotaxi technology at his startup Atoms, backed by a $100 million investment from Uber itself.
Atoms was originally founded as a holding company for multiple businesses, including the dark kitchen firm CloudKitchens and Lab37, which focuses on automating commercial kitchens. The Financial Times reported that Atoms is now preparing a hiring spree and several acquisitions as part of a bid to become a major player in autonomous driving. "A lot of things that would have happened at Uber over time are things we’re doing now," Kalanick said at an event held by Atoms' primary backer, Andreessen Horowitz, in San Francisco this month.
Shortly after closing its funding round, Atoms acquired Pronto, an autonomous mining startup led by former Waymo co-founder Anthony Levandowski, who had previously served as Uber's self-driving car chief. Levandowski was convicted of stealing trade secrets from Google's self-driving car unit and passing them to Uber, and was later pardoned by then-President Donald Trump in 2021. His involvement had contributed to Kalanick's downfall at Uber.
Atoms employs more than 2,000 people according to public LinkedIn profiles, with most working in its food division but a growing number tied to the autonomous vehicle industry, the Financial Times said. Kalanick, once one of the most prominent figures in tech, is now stepping back into the limelight after years away from public attention.