Kodiak’s sector leading technology and real world commercial delivery track record have driven recent investments from industry leaders Bridgestone and BMW i Ventures. Bridgestone has also finalized a partnership to integrate its smart sensing tire technology within Kodiak’s fleet.
Kodiak’s team is the strongest in the industry, with senior technological leaders from Google, Waymo, Uber, Otto, Aptiv, and Lyft. Industry veteran and CEO, Don Burnette, previously worked at Google (Waymo) before co-founding Otto, an autonomous trucking start-up. Otto was subsequently acquired by Uber in 2016, before the company’s focus returned to self-driving cars.
“SIP’s investment in Kodiak is critical in helping us grow our operations and continue to develop our industry leading self-driving technology,” said Don Burnette, Co-founder & CEO, Kodiak Robotics. “SIP has welcomed us into its family and has already begun opening doors for us in Asia, leveraging its deep roots in the world’s largest trucking market.”
Kodiak is a leader in the autonomous mobility space, which is expected to grow at a CAGR of 20.5% to $70.5B by 2027 (Acumen). In particular, middle-mile long haul trucking companies have raised significant financing rounds over the last few years. The space has seen favorable exit opportunities, with valuations of similar companies tracking $10B+ following IPO.