Kalanick: 'Only 1% of VCs are truly helpful'
Original: Travis Kalanick kicks off another round of VC bashing: ‘1% are helpful’
Why This Matters
Kalanick's critique highlights ongoing tension between founders and investors as mega-rounds reshape VC dynamics in the AI era.
Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick stated on David Senra's podcast that only 1% of venture capitalists are 'helpful' and just 10% meet the bar of 'do no harm.' Kalanick, now raising $1.7B for robotics firm Atoms via a16z, also warned founders against Benchmark.
Travis Kalanick, co-founder of Uber and current CEO of robotics startup Atoms, appeared on David Senra's podcast to share his candid views on venture capitalists. Kalanick stated that only '1%' of VCs are genuinely helpful to founders, while a mere 10% meet what he calls the 'super high bar' of 'do no harm.' He compared founders to 'chess masters' and VCs to 'chess enthusiasts' who check in occasionally — arguing VCs simply aren't immersed deeply enough to add meaningful value. Kalanick's skepticism is informed by his own history: he raised roughly $15 billion during his time at Uber, but was ousted in 2017 following a boardroom clash with Benchmark's Bill Gurley. He now advises founders to avoid Benchmark, though the firm recently raised another $2 billion across two new funds in June 2026. Despite his criticism, Kalanick does not tell founders to shun VC funding. Instead, he recommends crafting pitches that trigger bidding wars and sharing plans with moderate — not excessive — detail, especially given how fast the AI landscape is evolving. He also cautions founders against adopting a 'victim mentality' when board conflicts arise. Atoms recently closed a $1.7 billion funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz, with Ben Horowitz joining the board.