Waymo's latest funding round boosts it to a $45B valuation

Funding and Valuation - Waymo recently closed a $5.6 billion Series C funding round led by Alphabet, increasing its overall valuation to more than $45 billion [1][5] - Alphabet had previously announced a $5 billion multi-year commitment to Waymo in July, with several prominent venture firms participating in the latest funding round [2] Historical Context - This is Waymo's second external fundraising round, following a $2.25 billion Series B in 2020, which eventually grew to $3.2 billion [3] - The company has shifted its focus from autonomous trucking to its robotaxi ride-hailing service, which has proven successful [3][4] Business Operations - Waymo operates commercial robotaxi services in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, with plans to expand to Austin and Atlanta [4] - The company provides paid rides to over 100,000 customers weekly in its initial markets and offers airport trips in Phoenix [4]