The robotics company founded by Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick drew backing from Bain Capital, Fifth Wall, Uber and others as Ben Horowitz joined its board and emphasized specialized industrial robots over humanoids.
Atoms, a robotics company founded by Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick, has completed a $1.7 billion funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz. Investors in the round included Bain Capital, Fifth Wall, Chemistry, A*, K5 Global, Abstract, SV Angel, Alpha Square Group and Uber, while Ben Horowitz is set to join Atoms' board of directors. Horowitz said the investment is centered on specialized robots for heavy industry rather than humanoids, reflecting a view that task-specific machines are better suited to industrial work. The approach aligns with Atoms' strategy of using specialized robotic systems to improve efficiency and effectiveness in industrial applications.