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Waymo Raises $16B in Funding at $126B Valuation | News

 

 

Waymo, Alphabet Inc.’s autonomous vehicle division, has secured a $16 billion financing round at a post-money valuation of approximately $126 billion, with the capital aimed at scaling its robotaxi operations across more U.S. cities and into international markets. The funding round was announced on February 2, 2026, and involved major institutional investors alongside Alphabet, the company’s majority stakeholder.

 

Alphabet’s Waymo, one of the leading developers of fully autonomous ride-hailing technology, confirmed that the latest capital infusion — the largest in the company’s history — was led by Dragoneer Investment Group, DST Global, and Sequoia Capital, with participation from Andreessen Horowitz, Mubadala Capital, Bessemer Venture Partners, Silver Lake, Tiger Global, and T. Rowe Price. Alphabet remains the principal shareholder.

 

In a company blog post outlining the financing, Waymo noted that the additional funds will support expansion to more than 20 additional cities in 2026, including its first planned international services in Tokyo and London, building on an existing footprint in six major U.S. metropolitan areas. The company reported operating more than 2,500 fully driverless vehicles and providing roughly 15 million rides in 2025, equivalent to around 400,000 weekly trips.

 

Funding Round Details and Investor Participation

 

The $16 billion round marks a significant increase over Waymo’s previous rounds, which valued the autonomous vehicle unit at about $45 billion in late 2024. The new valuation of $126 billion reflects substantial investor confidence in the company’s commercial trajectory and the broader autonomous mobility sector. Investors in the latest round span major venture capital and private investment firms, with Alphabet’s continued backing ensuring strategic continuity.

 

According to statements from the company, this financing round is intended to underwrite fleet expansion, procurement of additional vehicles, recruitment of staff, and deployment of technology infrastructure necessary to support a larger geographic service area. Waymo’s announcements also highlight operational achievements in safety, citing millions of miles of autonomous driving and metrics indicating lower serious injury rates compared to human-operated vehicles.

 

Operational Performance and Market Context

 

Waymo’s evolution from a research project within Google X to a commercial operator underscores the scaling of autonomous driving from experimental deployments to paid services. By 2025, Waymo reported a tripling of its annual ride volume, serving customers in cities including Phoenix, the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Austin, Atlanta, and Miami. The company claims reductions in serious injuries in autonomous operation relative to human drivers, based on extensive driving data.

 

The robotaxi market remains competitive, with several technology and automotive companies investing in autonomous driving systems and ride-hailing services. Tesla, Zoox (backed by Amazon), Waabi, and other startups are advancing their own autonomous vehicle technologies, though few operate fully driverless, commercial services at scale in the United States.

 

Regulatory scrutiny persists as autonomous vehicles become more prevalent. U.S. regulators, including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, have investigated safety incidents involving autonomous test and commercial vehicles, including recently reported events involving Waymo vehicles. Waymo has responded with software updates and cooperation with regulatory authorities where applicable.

 

Expansion Strategy

 

Waymo’s expansion strategy encompasses additional U.S. cities and selected global markets. Plans for expansion into London and Tokyo reflect growing interest in autonomous mobility services outside North America, subject to regulatory approvals and infrastructure readiness in those jurisdictions. The broader rollout aligns with industry trends toward scaling autonomous operations beyond pilot programs into mainstream transportation services.

 

The funding round positions Waymo to extend its operational reach and maintain its pace of growth within the driverless mobility sector, contributing to a rapidly evolving landscape of autonomous transportation technology.