Andreessen Horowitz is making a major bet on the future of AI-powered robotics, backing former Uber (NYSE:UBER) co-founder Travis Kalanick’s next venture with a $1.7 billion funding round for Atoms.
The investment, which also included Uber, Bain Capital, Fifth Wall and other backers, gives a16z a deeper connection to Kalanick’s latest effort to automate the physical world.
Andreessen Horowitz co-founder Ben Horowitz is joining Atoms’ board, with the investor signaling its enthusiasm for the project by posting on X: "Travis Is Back," TechCrunch reported.
Atoms is the rebranded umbrella company built around Kalanick’s post-Uber venture CloudKitchens.
The company has increasingly shifted its focus toward industrial automation and robotics, including its acquisition of mining automation company Pronto in March.
