Travis Kalanick is executing a massive corporate pivot. The Uber co-founder has officially folded his delivery venture, CloudKitchens, into a brand-new robotics company called ATOMS. This major shift transitions the business away from standard food delivery. Instead, it focuses heavily on AI-driven automation and robotics.
CloudKitchens previously carried a massive valuation of $15 billion. Now, it serves simply as the foundation for ATOMS. Kalanick effectively used his delivery-focused kitchen network as a testing ground for automation. Consequently, the new company is positioning itself squarely at the intersection of real estate, logistics, and AI. The ultimate goal is to scale efficiency across its global operations.
The Gulf region sits at the very center of this corporate shift. Across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Kuwait, the company operates under the regional brand KitchenPark. Furthermore, a massive $1.25 billion investment from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) strictly backs this expansion.
Naturally, this drastic restructuring complicated previous financial ambitions. Advisors initially explored a dual IPO listing in Riyadh and Abu Dhabi. They targeted a valuation of around $2 billion for the public offering. However, the company shelved those plans completely. They opted to rely strictly on private funding instead.
Meanwhile, Kalanick has solidified his personal ties to the region. He converted to Islam and received Saudi citizenship in late 2025. Ultimately, this strategic move perfectly highlights a growing macro trend. US tech leaders are increasingly aligning with Gulf capital and infrastructure to build next-generation platforms.
