DB
Don Burnette
Founder & CEO
Previously Otto / Waymo
Kodiak Driver: a self-driving system for long-haul trucks, deployed commercially with paying customers like Atlas Energy Solutions.
Kodiak Driver: a self-driving system for long-haul trucks, deployed commercially with paying customers like Atlas Energy Solutions.
Kodiak Robotics was founded in April 2018 by Don Burnette and Paz Eshel. Burnette previously led software at Google's self-driving car project (later Waymo), then co-founded Otto, the first self-driving truck startup, which was acquired by Uber. After two years at Uber's self-driving division, he teamed with former Battery Ventures investor Paz Eshel to build Kodiak with a deliberately narrow focus on autonomous long-haul trucking rather than robotaxis. The company went public in September 2025 via a merger with Ares Acquisition Corporation II at a ~$2.5B valuation.
Kodiak AI raised approximately $100M in a follow-on offering priced at a discount to market, with shares falling about 37% on the announcement.
By late 2025 Kodiak's driverless trucks operated continuously in the Permian Basin for Atlas Energy Solutions, with Atlas's owned fleet of Kodiak-equipped trucks expanding as part of an initial 100-truck order.
Profile of newly public Kodiak AI's commercial strategy and partnerships, including its driverless operations for Atlas Energy Solutions in the Permian Basin.
Kodiak closed its business combination with Ares Acquisition Corporation II at a ~$2.5B valuation, raising over $275M including a $145M PIPE and ~$62.9M in trust cash to fund commercialization of its autonomous trucking platform.
Kodiak Robotics completed its business combination with Ares Acquisition Corp II at $2.6B; trades on Nasdaq under KDK starting Sept 25, 2025.
Kodiak Robotics shareholders approved the SPAC merger with AACT to list on Nasdaq, though redemptions left the deal raising less cash than initially anticipated.
Ahead of its public debut, Kodiak raised approximately $100M in additional private financing from investors including Soros Fund Management, ARK Investments and Ares.
Kodiak AI and Ares Acquisition Corporation II announced a $145M PIPE investment to support Kodiak's public listing and accelerate commercialization of its Kodiak Driver autonomous system.
Kodiak delivered two additional driverless trucks to Atlas Energy Solutions and launched up to 24/7 driverless service, with trucks only stopping for refueling and maintenance.
Kodiak announced a definitive agreement to go public via business combination with AACT, valuing the autonomous trucking company at approximately $2.5B.
Founder & CEO
Previously Otto / Waymo
Co-Founder & CEO
Previously Co-founder & engineer (Otto, acquired by Uber) at Uber ATG / Otto
Carnegie Mellon University (MS, Robotics); University of Florida
Co-founder and CEO of Kodiak. Member of Google's original self-driving car team; co-founded Otto (acquired by Uber in 2016). Left Uber ATG in 2018 to start Kodiak with a focus on long-haul autonomous trucking.
Co-founder
Previously Investor at Battery Ventures
Co-founder of Kodiak Robotics; previously a venture capitalist at Battery Ventures focused on enterprise and AI investments.
Co-Founder
Previously Vice President at Battery Ventures
NYU Stern
Co-founder of Kodiak Robotics. Former Vice President at Battery Ventures, with prior experience in corporate development at Cisco and investment banking at Lazard. Led commercial and capital-markets strategy at Kodiak's founding.
$640M raised total
Petitioner on record
KODIAK ROBOTICS, INC. · MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA
FY 2025
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