Mubadala positions Abu Dhabi at forefront of tomorrow's mobility revolution

Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Capital has joined a landmark $16 billion funding round for Waymo, the autonomous driving company spun out of Alphabet’s moonshot labs, pushing the self-driving pioneer’s post-money valuation to $126 billion. Mubadala’s participation follows an earlier commitment in 2020, when it joined a $2.5 billion round, signalling a deliberate Abu Dhabi strategy to diversify sovereign capital into artificial intelligence and sustainable mobility technologies.

"This isn't just another tech cheque; it's a resounding vote of confidence in the era of driverless cities," the Atalayar report said, capturing the tenor of the investment and its implications for the Gulf emirate's long-term economic pivot.

Details

• Lead investors in the round included Dragoneer Investment Group, DST Global and Sequoia Capital.
• Other participants named by Atalayar were Andreessen Horowitz, Bessemer Venture Partners, Silver Lake, Tiger Global and T. Rowe Price; Alphabet remains Waymo's majority backer.
• Waymo announced it tripled ride volume in 2025 to 15 million annual rides, surpassed 20 million lifetime autonomous trips, and is "now delivering over 400,000 paid rides weekly" across Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin, Atlanta and newly launched Miami services.
• The company said the fresh capital will be used to accelerate fleet expansion, deepen safety systems and prepare for operations in more than 20 additional cities, with potential international markets including London and Tokyo.
• Mubadala Capital is the investment arm of Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth vehicle, and its renewed stake builds on the emirate’s broader push into AI, renewable energy and advanced transport infrastructure.

The round — one of the largest single investments in the autonomous vehicle sector — consolidates Waymo's position amid competing approaches to robotaxis, from Tesla’s ambitions to Zoox’s purpose-built fleets and rapid domestic players in China. For Abu Dhabi, the deal adds geopolitical and economic significance: the emirate is not merely buying exposure to a consumer product but staking a claim in technologies that reshape urban planning, safety and emissions profiles.

Outlook

With Waymo reporting a sharp increase in commercial activity and clear plans for international expansion, Mubadala’s infusion gives Abu Dhabi a seat at the table as driverless systems scale. Atalayar notes the investment aligns with regional macroeconomic expectations — including forecasts from Abu Dhabi Bank anticipating stronger economic growth in the Middle East led by the United Arab Emirates — and positions the emirate to influence the infrastructure and regulatory conversations that will accompany autonomous mobility deployments.

As Waymo prepares to expand into dozens more cities and refine safety architectures, Mubadala’s backing underscores a broader sovereign strategy: to channel capital into technologies that could define everyday urban life, from quieter, lower-emission streets to reimagined transport networks. For investors and city planners alike, the $16 billion round marks a decisive moment in the path toward a more autonomous urban future.