Waymo has closed a massive $16 billion investment round, valuing the autonomous vehicle company at $126 billion. The funding was led by Dragoneer Investment Group, DST Global, and Sequoia Capital, with Alphabet remaining the majority investor. Other major backers include Andreessen Horowitz, Mubadala Capital, Bessemer Venture Partners, Silver Lake, Tiger Global, and T. Rowe Price.
Waymo secures record $16B funding at $126B valuation, backed by major investors as Alphabet maintains majority stake
The company plans to use this record-breaking investment to fuel an aggressive expansion into more than 20 additional cities throughout 2026. Waymo will also launch its first international operations in Tokyo and London. The capital will support fleet expansion, team growth, and maintaining safety standards during this rapid scaling phase.
Waymo’s robotaxi service has already proven its success with over 20 million lifetime trips completed. Despite this achievement, the company has faced challenges such as robotaxis stalling during San Francisco’s recent blackout. In 2025 alone, the company provided 15 million rides, more than tripling its annual volume from the previous year. Currently, Waymo serves six major U.S. metropolitan areas including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin, Atlanta, and Miami, providing about 400,000 rides weekly.
Safety remains a key advantage for Waymo, with data showing a 90 percent reduction in serious-injury crashes compared to human drivers. The company’s impressive safety record comes from 127 million miles of fully autonomous driving experience. This safety record has helped the company secure necessary permits and regulatory approvals to expand its service areas and generate revenue, now exceeding $350 million annually.
Recent expansions include service to San Francisco International Airport and across Northern California freeways, connecting dozens of towns in the region. The company also launched a partnership with Uber for operations in Austin and Atlanta in 2025. This expansion comes as AI investments in the transportation sector continue to grow, with 92% of industry leaders planning to increase their AI budgets over the next three years.
The investment represents growing confidence in autonomous mobility as a commercial reality. As one DST Global co-founder noted, autonomous driving will profoundly impact how cities are reimagined. Major institutional investors conducted extensive due diligence before committing funds, signaling their belief that the age of autonomous mobility at scale has arrived, with Waymo positioned as the industry’s most trusted, proven, and scalable solution.
References
- https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/31/waymo-reportedly-raising-a-16-billion-funding-round/
- https://waymo.com/blog/2026/02/waymo-raises-usd16-billion-investment-round
- https://electrek.co/2026/02/02/waymo-raises-16-billion-round-at-126-billion-valuation-plans-expansion/
- https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/02/waymo-raises-16-billion-round-to-scale-robotaxi-fleet-london-tokyo/
- https://builtin.com/articles/waymo-raises-16b-to-support-global-expansion-20260203
