Waabi, an autonomous driving startup founded by Raquel Urtasun, has raised $280 million through funding rounds with significant backing from investors like Nvidia and Uber. Urtasun, with over 25 years of AI experience, shifted from academia to focus on a scalable, AI-first approach in the self-driving sector after her tenure as chief scientist at Uber. Her goal extends beyond mere profit; she aims to transform the transportation landscape with innovative self-driving technology. Strong mentorship and a robust capital table have contributed to Waabi's growth and ambitions.
Having the best people in the industry supporting us has been a huge help in the endeavor. Despite raising funds, my focus isn't on an exit but on transforming the world.
I saw an opportunity to build my own company with an AI-first approach to self-driving technology, moving away from the capital-intensive models that others were using.
Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber's CEO, became a mentor to me during my time at Uber, greatly assisting my growth as a business executive and entrepreneur.
The experience I gained at Uber was invaluable; it was a great stepping stone for me in terms of entrepreneurship in the self-driving space.
Collection
[
|
...
]