Kodiak AI

Kodiak AI (formerly Kodiak Robotics) builds the Kodiak Driver, an AI-powered autonomous driving system for trucks. Founded in 2018 by Don Burnette, the Mountain View, California company has pursued both long-haul on-highway freight and ruggedized off-road autonomy for the energy sector, delivering driverless trucks to Atlas Energy Solutions for use in the Permian Basin starting in 2024. Kodiak went public in September 2025 by merging with Ares Acquisition Corporation II, a SPAC, in a deal that valued the company at roughly $2.5 billion and brought in over $275 million in gross proceeds, including a $145 million PIPE; it trades on Nasdaq as KDK. In Q1 2026 the company reported revenue of $1.8 million (up 74% quarter over quarter), 28 driverless trucks in operation, roughly 23,500 cumulative paid driverless hours, and $90.2 million in cash excluding its $100 million PIPE; the stock traded around $5 in early July 2026.