Uber Invests $100m in Atoms, the Company That Hired Anthony Levandowski
Travis Kalanick’s Atoms has hired the engineer, Anthony Levandowski, whose trade-secrets case against Google and subsequent involvement at Uber cost the company close to $350 million and contributed to Kalanick’s removal as CEO. Uber has confirmed its investment of $100m in the company, but Atoms denies any connection to robotaxis.
Atoms, a venture founded by Kalanick after leaving Uber, is developing robotaxi technology with Levandowski at its helm, according to sources cited by Rafe Rosner-Uddin in the Financial Times. The company has held preliminary talks with Uber regarding integrating its technology into Uber’s network. However, Atoms rejects these claims, describing itself as an "industrial software company" with no plans to enter the robotaxi market.
The reported investment raises questions about the nature of Atoms’ business and its relationship with Uber, especially considering Levandowski’s past at Uber and Waymo, Google’s self-driving unit. The complex web involves Levandowski’s conviction for trade secret theft (later pardoned by Donald Trump), his acquisition of Pronto (an automation company in heavy industry), and the recruitment of numerous former Uber staff from Zoox, Tesla, and Waymo.
Atoms boasts over 2,000 employees across various divisions, primarily focused on food automation but with a growing presence in autonomous vehicles. The model proposed by the Financial Times resembles that of Wayve and Nuro: developing software for robotaxis while leaving vehicle manufacturing to others.