Travis Kalanick’s robotics startup Atoms is reportedly preparing for a hiring spree and acquisitions to enter the robotaxi business and has discussed its autonomous technology with Uber, which recently invested $100 million in the company.
The Uber founder has said that Atoms will allow him to complete "unfinished business."
# Travis Kalanick’s Atoms might be getting into the robotaxi business | TechCrunch
Source: [https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/06/travis-kalanicks-atoms-might-be-getting-into-the-robotaxi-business/](https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/06/travis-kalanicks-atoms-might-be-getting-into-the-robotaxi-business/)
In Brief
Posted:
9:45 AM PDT · September 6, 2026
**Image Credits:**Zak Bennett/Bloomberg / Getty ImagesEarlier this summer, Travis Kalanick’s Atoms announced[a $1\.7 billion funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz](https://techcrunch.com/2026/07/22/travis-kalanicks-robotics-company-raises-1-7b-led-by-a16z/)\. But even after raising that mega round, the Uber founder remained a bit cagey about what he was actually aiming to do\.
Now[a story in the Financial Times](https://www.ft.com/content/8a708224-3a37-4d23-9f5c-158a73216018?syn-25a6b1a6=1)offers more details about Atoms’ goals\. The startup is reportedly preparing for a hiring spree, as well as acquisitions, that could make it a major player in the autonomous vehicle industry\.
In fact, the FT said Atoms has talked to Uber about how the ride\-hailing company could use the startup’s robotaxi technology\. \(Uber has already[partnered with a long list of autonomous vehicle companies](https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/01/ubers-autonomous-vehicle-deal-tracker/)\.\) The report also noted that Uber has invested $100 million in Atoms — a figure previously[confirmed by TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/05/travis-kalanicks-robotics-startup-atoms-taps-former-uber-finance-chief-as-cfo/)\.
While sources emphasized that robotaxis don’t represent the entirety of Atoms’ plans, this direction seems consistent with Kalanick’s description of the round as “unfinished business\.”
It also fits with[Atoms’ acquisition of Pronto](https://techcrunch.com/2020/08/04/anthony-levandowski-sentenced-to-18-months-in-prison-as-new-4b-lawsuit-against-uber-is-filed/), an autonomous mining startup led by Uber’s former self\-driving chief Anthony Levandowski\. \(Levandowski was convicted of stealing trade secrets and[sentenced to 18 months in prison](https://techcrunch.com/2020/08/04/anthony-levandowski-sentenced-to-18-months-in-prison-as-new-4b-lawsuit-against-uber-is-filed/), but was then pardoned by President Donald Trump\.\)
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