Nuro, a California-based autonomous vehicle startup, has raised $600 million in its latest funding round. This Series D raise brings the company’s valuation to $6 billion and lifts its total funding since 2016, by Jiajun Zhu and Dave Ferguson, former Google engineers, to more than $2 billion. The round was led by Tiger Global Management and included Google, Kroger, SoftBank, Baillie Gifford, Fidelity Management & Research, and Chipotle Mexican Grill among its backers.
The company plans to use the funds to scale its autonomous delivery operations. Nuro focuses on small, driverless delivery vehicles built specifically to transport goods, not passengers. Its partnerships with retailers and food chains have helped position it as a key player in last-mile delivery solutions.
Technology and Operations
Unlike passenger-focused autonomous vehicle firms, Nuro designs compact vehicles meant solely for deliveries. These vehicles are built for safety, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness in neighborhood routes. The R2 model, approved by the U.S. Department of Transportation in 2020, operates without human controls such as a steering wheel or pedals.
