Atoms, the robotics and industrial automation company founded by Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick, has raised $1.7 billion in a funding round led by venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z). The round also attracted investments from Uber, Bain Capital, Fifth Wall, and other institutional investors, providing fresh capital to expand its operations across food, mining, and transportation.
As part of the investment, a16z co-founder Ben Horowitz will join Atoms’ board, strengthening the company’s leadership as it advances its automation initiatives across multiple industries.
Atoms’ food division includes CloudKitchens and related food technology hardware projects designed to reduce labour challenges and improve operational efficiency in commercial kitchens. The investment is expected to support the development of technologies that streamline kitchen operations and help food businesses manage their resources more effectively.
The funding also has implications for ProKitchens, a commercial kitchen space provider operating across several European markets. Its network spans Marseille, Lille, Paris, Lyon, Madrid, Barcelona, Milan, Lisbon, Warsaw, and Amsterdam, serving food entrepreneurs, manufacturers, and research and development teams.
ProKitchens offers certified, ready-to-fit commercial kitchen spaces through flexible contracts, enabling businesses to establish production facilities without making substantial upfront capital investments. Its infrastructure allows food brands to test individual markets, establish new locations, and expand across borders in France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Poland, and the Netherlands.
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As Atoms increases its focus on hardware automation and physical workflow management, businesses operating through ProKitchens could benefit from improved efficiency, greater operational reliability, and faster expansion.
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Beyond food technology, Atoms is developing autonomous haulage and machine systems through Atoms Mining, following its acquisition of autonomous vehicle company Pronto. Its Atoms Transport division focuses on robotic wheelbases and autonomous movement technologies for heavy industries.
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The latest funding positions Atoms to advance its technology development across these sectors, with a broader focus on applying robotics and automation to physical operations.