Waymo vs Skild AI

By valuation, Waymo is the larger company at $126B versus $14B — a 9x difference. Size can also be measured by team: Waymo employs 3500 people while Skild AI has 75 employees.

Waymo has raised more in total funding at $27.1B, compared to Skild AI's $1.9B — a gap of $25.2B. Combined, the two companies have completed 6 known funding rounds.

Waymo leads with an Awaira Score of 96/100, while Skild AI sits at 90/100. That 6-point gap reflects real differences in funding, scale, and traction — it's not a vanity metric.

Waymo was founded by Sebastian Thrun in 2009. Skild AI was founded by Deepak Pathak in 2023. Visit each company's profile on Awaira for a full founder biography.

Waymo: Waymo is an autonomous vehicle company founded in 2009 as Google's self-driving car project before becoming an independent Alphabet subsidiary. The company develops full-stack autonomous driving technology, including perception systems, planning algorithms, and simulation platforms that enable vehicles to operate without human drivers. Waymo's core offering centers on autonomous ride-hailing services and commercial trucking solutions. Its Waymo Driver technology stack processes sensor data from lidar, radar, and cameras to navigate complex environments. The company operates Waymo One, a commercial robotaxi service in Phoenix and San Francisco, serving thousands of regular passengers. Waymo has also launched Waymo Via, focusing on autonomous freight and logistics. With $27.1 billion in total funding and a $126 billion valuation, Waymo maintains significant financial backing from Alphabet and external investors. The company competes directly with Tesla, Cruise, Aurora, and traditional automotive manufacturers developing autonomous capabilities. Waymo's competitive advantages include extensive real-world testing data, Google's computational resources, and established operational services generating continuous learning. The company has achieved notable milestones including driverless taxi operations without safety drivers in urban environments and partnerships with established fleet operators. Growth trajectory focuses on geographic expansion of ride-hailing services and scaling autonomous freight operations across North America. Waymo operates the only commercially deployed, fully autonomous ride-hailing service at meaningful scale in the United States. Skild AI: Skild AI is a robotics company founded in 2023 that develops artificial intelligence systems for autonomous robots. The company focuses on creating AI software that enables robots to perform complex, dexterous manipulation tasks in real-world environments. Skild AI's core technology centers on machine learning models designed to improve robotic perception, planning, and control capabilities, allowing robots to handle varied objects and adapt to dynamic conditions. The company operates in the growing intersection of AI and robotics, where demand for automation solutions continues to expand across manufacturing, logistics, and warehouse operations. Skild AI's approach emphasizes practical deployment of AI-powered robotic systems rather than theoretical research, positioning it within the applied robotics sector. As of its most recent funding round, Skild AI has raised $1.9 billion in total funding and holds a valuation of $14.0 billion, reflecting significant investor confidence in its market potential. The company operates at Series C stage, indicating maturation beyond early-stage development. Specific details about notable customers, deployed use cases, and competitive positioning relative to other robotics companies are not disclosed. The company's rapid valuation growth and substantial funding suggest strong market traction, though its exact revenue figures and growth trajectory remain proprietary information. Skild AI achieved a $14 billion valuation within approximately two years of founding, indicating exceptional investor confidence in its robotics-AI technology platform.

Waymo got there first, launching in 2009 — that's 14 years of extra runway. Skild AI didn't arrive until 2023. In AI, that kind of head start means more training data, deeper customer relationships, and a bigger talent moat.

Waymo has about 3500 employees; Skild AI has about 75. A bigger team usually means more revenue or heavier VC backing, but in AI, small teams can build at massive scale.

Yes — they're direct rivals. Both Waymo and Skild AI compete in AI Robotics, targeting many of the same buyers. If you're evaluating one, you should be looking at the other.