Anthony Levandowski Net Worth: Inside the Uber and Google Settlement
Anthony Levandowski is a well-known figure in the technology industry. He was at the center of a high-profile legal battle between two of the biggest companies in Silicon Valley, Google and Uber. Levandowski was accused of stealing trade secrets from Google’s self-driving car project and taking them to Uber, where he was a key player in their autonomous vehicle division.
The legal battle between Google and Uber lasted for several years and resulted in a settlement that reportedly cost Uber $245 million. As part of the settlement, Levandowski was required to pay $179 million in restitution to Google. This raises the question, what is Anthony Levandowski’s net worth, and how did he accumulate his wealth?
Early Career and Education of Anthony Levandowski
Anthony Levandowski was born on March 15, 1980, in Brussels, Belgium. His parents were both engineers, and Levandowski showed an interest in technology from a young age. He attended the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering.
After graduating from Berkeley, Levandowski began his career in the technology industry. He worked for a number of companies, including 3Com and NEC Electronics, before joining Google in 2007.
At Google, Levandowski was one of the early members of the self-driving car project, which was eventually spun off into a separate company called Waymo. Levandowski played a key role in developing the technology that made autonomous vehicles possible.
Levandowski’s involvement in the self-driving car project eventually led to his departure from Google and his involvement with Uber.
The Waymo Lawsuit
In 2017, Waymo filed a lawsuit against Uber, accusing Levandowski of stealing trade secrets related to self-driving cars. The lawsuit alleged that Levandowski had downloaded thousands of confidential files from Waymo before leaving the company to join Uber.
The lawsuit also claimed that Levandowski had taken the files with him when he started his own self-driving truck company, Otto, which was later acquired by Uber. Waymo alleged that Uber had used the stolen trade secrets to develop its own self-driving car technology.
The legal battle between Waymo and Uber lasted for several years and was eventually settled in 2018. As part of the settlement, Uber agreed to pay Waymo $245 million and to cooperate with Waymo to ensure that its self-driving car technology did not infringe on Waymo’s intellectual property.
Levandowski was not a party to the settlement between Waymo and Uber, but he was required to pay $179 million in restitution to Waymo as part of a separate criminal case.
Anthony Levandowski’s Net Worth
Given the significant amounts of money involved in the legal settlement between Waymo and Uber, it’s natural to wonder what Anthony Levandowski’s net worth is. However, it’s difficult to say exactly how much Levandowski is worth.
Levandowski’s net worth is likely tied up in his ownership stake in Otto, which was acquired by Uber for a reported $680 million. It’s unclear exactly how much of that money went to Levandowski, but it’s safe to say that it was a substantial amount.
However, Levandowski’s legal troubles have likely impacted his net worth. In addition to the $179 million in restitution he was required to pay to Waymo, Levandowski was also charged with 33 counts of theft and attempted theft of trade secrets. He pled guilty to one count of trade secret theft and was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
It’s unclear how much money Levandowski made from his time at Google and his other early career positions. However, given his involvement in some of the most significant technological developments of recent years, it’s safe to say that he likely made a significant amount of money.
In addition to his work in the self-driving car industry, Levandowski has also been involved in other technology ventures. He co-founded a company called 510 Systems, which developed a motorcycle that could be controlled via a smartphone app. The company was eventually acquired by Google.
Levandowski has also been involved in the development of other technologies, such as a self-driving truck and a robot that could make pizzas. While these ventures may not have been as successful as his work in the self-driving car industry, they demonstrate Levandowski’s entrepreneurial spirit and his willingness to take risks in pursuit of technological innovation.
Conclusion
Anthony Levandowski is a controversial figure in the technology industry, but there’s no denying his contributions to the development of self-driving car technology. His involvement in the legal battle between Waymo and Uber highlights the importance of protecting intellectual property in the technology industry.
While it’s difficult to say exactly how much Levandowski is worth, it’s clear that he made a significant amount of money from his work in the self-driving car industry. His involvement in other technology ventures also demonstrates his entrepreneurial spirit and his willingness to take risks in pursuit of innovation.
As the technology industry continues to evolve, it’s likely that we’ll see more figures like Anthony Levandowski emerge. These innovators will continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible, and they’ll likely face legal challenges along the way. However, their contributions to the industry will ultimately help to shape the future of technology.
References:
- Bensinger, G. (2018, February 9). Uber and Waymo Reach $245 Million Settlement in Trade Secrets Case. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/09/technology/uber-waymo-settlement.html
- Levy, A. (2020, March 19). Anthony Levandowski pleads guilty to one count of trade secret theft. CNBC. Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/19/anthony-levandowski-pleads-guilty-to-one-count-of-trade-secret-theft.html
- Vanian, J. (2018, May 30). Anthony Levandowski, the self-driving car guru at the center of the Uber/Waymo lawsuit, is back with a new self-driving truck start-up. Fortune. Retrieved from https://fortune.com/2018/05/30/anthony-levandowski-self-driving-truck-startup/
- Warzel, C. (2017, February 23). The Engineer Who Stole Google’s Secrets and Joined Uber. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/23/technology/google-waymo-uber-otto-lawsuit.html