Atoms (atoms.co) is a private industrial-AI and physical automation company organized to “digitize the physical world” across food, mining, and transport. The company frames its approach around building specialized “gainfully employed robots” and “atoms-based computers,” with manufacturing serving as processing power, real estate serving as storage, and transport serving as the network layer.
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Atoms operates through multiple business units—CloudKitchens, Otter, Picnic, Lab37, ProFood Properties, and Pronto (as its Mining engine)—and targets operators who want measurable productivity and safety improvements from autonomy in high-cycle, real-world industrial environments. The company’s current strategic posture is to consolidate those divisions into a single Atoms equity structure and scale commercialization and infrastructure buildout after a16z-led financing in 2026, while also pursuing notable infrastructure partnerships (e.g., vertiports with Joby Aviation).
Travis KalanickFounder / CEO (as stated by Atoms in its careers page and by Joby in a partnership release)
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Sky DaytonCo-founder of City Storage Systems (now Atoms)
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Ben HorowitzBoard member (joined board following a16z investment)
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Travis Kalanick’s Atoms might be getting into the robotaxi businessTravis Kalanick’s company Atoms may enter the robotaxi business. Kalanick has said Atoms will allow him to complete "unfinished business."
‘Unfinished business’: Kalanick revisits robotaxis with new start-upTravis Kalanick is revisiting robotaxis through a new startup called Atoms, which is preparing for a hiring spree and could potentially link with Uber, the company he was ousted from almost a decade ago.
Atoms announces $1.7B equity investment led by a16z; merged businesses into one Atoms equity structureIn an Atoms post dated July 22, 2026, the company announced a $1.7B equity investment led by a16z and stated that Ben Horowitz would join the board. Atoms also stated it merged various businesses into one Atoms equity st…
a16z post on backing Atoms and Ben Horowitz joining the boarda16z published a post titled “Travis is Back” stating it is backing Atoms and that Ben Horowitz is joining the board. The post also frames Atoms as specializing robots for “industrial AI” and references Atoms’ “City Stor…
Pronto acquisition by Atoms completed; Pronto positioned as core technology engine of Atoms MiningPronto announced that Atoms officially completed its acquisition of Pronto and stated that Pronto becomes the core technology engine of Atoms Mining. The update also highlights prior Pronto autonomous haulage deployments…