Kodiak
California, US · Founded 2018 · 384 employees on LinkedIn · Public · 16 known investors
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Kodiak AI develops AI-powered autonomous ground transportation solutions, with initial focus on driverless trucking. The company provides software and hardware systems designed for safe, efficient autonomous movement across various industries and environments.
Also known as Kodiak AI · Kodiak Robotics
Founders & leadership
Kodiak was founded in 2018 by Don Burnette.
Investors · 16
Also in the syndicate · 2
Funding
SEC filings, press & company announcements$200M disclosed across 2 of 4 rounds · 2025–2026
Source: company announcements and press reports — follow each round's link for the claim.
Valuation · disclosed
Disclosed eventsSource: SEC prospectus filings, and round valuations the company or its investors disclosed — follow each entry's link for the claim.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Founder mafia
2 people who came through Kodiak went on to found or lead other companies.
Competitors · 1
by search overlap
Companies competing with Kodiak for the same Google search keywords, organic and paid, via search-intersection analysis.
Non-dilutive funding · 2 SBIR/STTR awards
Federal grants — no equity taken| Agency | Phase | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Air ForceAir Force | Phase II | 2021 | $749.7K |
| U.S. Air ForceAir Force | Phase I | 2020 | $49.4K |
Source: SBIR.gov award data (U.S. Small Business Administration). SBIR/STTR awards are competitive federal R&D grants and contracts — non-dilutive capital alongside any venture rounds above.
Timeline · 6
launches, deals, and filingsKodiak disclosed in an SEC filing that it raised $100 million by selling shares at $6.50 each, below its $9.10 close, with accompanying warrants exercisable at as low as $6. Funding came from existing backer Ares Management and unnamed institutional investors. The stock fell 37% in after-hours trading.
$100M source ↗
Kodiak is working with military vehicle maker General Dynamics Land Systems to create autonomous ground vehicles for defense applications.
Under the agreement, Kodiak-equipped autonomous trucks haul freight between Dallas and Houston on four round trips per week, operating autonomously for the entire trip with a human safety operator aboard.
Kodiak-equipped autonomous trucks are being tested in West Fraser Timber Co.'s log-hauling operations in Alberta, Canada.
Kodiak released an autonomy readiness measure, a zero-to-100 score tracking how much of its internal safety validation is complete; the company reported 86% as of April 2026.
The company, then called Kodiak Robotics, completed a merger with special-purpose acquisition company Ares Acquisition Corporation II, an Ares Management affiliate, in a deal valuing it at about $2.5 billion. Kodiak raised $275 million in connected financing, including $145 million in PIPE funding and about $62.9 million in trust cash from Ares, after SPAC investor redemptions reduced the trust from an initial $562 million.
$275M source ↗
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
In the news
▸Research sources · 8
primary sources listed
- Kodiak AI raises $100M at a steep discount, sending its stock tumbling 37% | TechCrunchtechcrunch.com · web
8 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Kodiak do?
- Kodiak AI develops AI-powered autonomous ground transportation solutions, with initial focus on driverless trucking. The company provides software and hardware systems designed for safe, efficient autonomous movement across various industries and environments.
- Who founded Kodiak?
- Kodiak was founded by Don Burnette in 2018.
- Who are Kodiak's investors?
- Kodiak's investors include A'Z Angels, Battery Ventures, BMW i Ventures, CRV (Charles River Ventures), Harpoon Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Manhattan Venture Partners, SIP Global Partners and 6 more.
- How much funding has Kodiak raised?
- Kodiak has disclosed $200M raised across 2 of its 4 known rounds.
- Where is Kodiak headquartered?
- Kodiak is headquartered in California, US.