Travis Kalanick's startup Atoms has raised $1.7 billion in funding as of June. The company, which was previously known as City Storage Systems, operates as a holding company for several business interests, including Lab37 and the dark kitchen firm CloudKitchens.
The startup is now preparing for a hiring spree and several acquisitions to become a major player in the autonomous driving sector. As part of this strategy, Atoms has already acquired Pronto, an autonomous mining startup led by Waymo co-founder Anthony Levandowski.
Uber, which invested $100 million in the funding round, has already held talks with Atoms regarding the potential use of its robotaxi technology within the Uber ride-hailing network. This would mark the first collaboration between Kalanick and his former company since his 2019 board resignation.
Based on LinkedIn profiles, Atoms employs more than 2,000 people. While most staff are currently focused on the food division, the company is increasing the number of employees with expertise in the autonomous vehicles industry.
