Travis Kalanick, a co-founder and ex-CEO of Uber, has established a new robotics venture named Atoms, with a focus on automating operations within the mining, transportation, and food industries. According to a report from Reuters, the startup will consist of three segments: Atoms Food, catering to the food sector’s needs; Atoms Mining, aimed at enhancing mining efficiency; and Atoms Transport, described by Kalanick as a platform for robotic mobility on the company’s official site.
In a statement cited by Reuters, Kalanick expressed that “efficiently employed robots are the most suitable machines for various tasks, capable of sustaining themselves while performing them.” The company’s emphasis will be on specialized industrial robots rather than human-like machines. Kalanick highlighted on a podcast by TBPN, as per TechCrunch, that while humanoids have their applications, there is substantial room for specialized robots to carry out tasks in a productive, large-scale industrial manner.
In efforts to bolster the mining division, Kalanick mentioned his nearing acquisition of Pronto, an autonomous vehicle startup concentrating on industrial and mining environments founded by his former Uber colleague Anthony Levandowski. Kalanick disclosed that he presently holds the largest investment stake in Pronto.
Having stepped down as Uber’s CEO in 2017 and departed from the company’s board in 2019, Kalanick is now venturing into the robotics sector with a vision of leveraging specialized automation to revolutionize key industries.