Travis Kalanick Moves from California to Texas

Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick has left California for Texas, joining a growing number of billionaires relocating as lawmakers target the ultra-wealthy with new taxes.

In a discussion with TPBN hosts John Coogan and Jordi Hays, Kalanick revealed he moved to Austin on December 18 while promoting his robotics company, Atoms. Formerly known as City Storage Systems, Atoms specializes in building industrial robots for various industries such as food service and mining. With a touch of humor, he expressed feeling a bit left out as many affluent individuals head to Florida instead.

“Why so much Florida action?! Like, come on homies,” he commented, highlighting his observations on the trend.

This move happened just before a significant deadline tied to a proposed measure that could significantly alter California’s taxation system. The 2026 Billionaire Tax Act aims to impose a one-time 5% tax on fortunes exceeding $1 billion, targeting anyone residing in the state as of January 1, 2026. Advocates are pushing to have this measure on the ballot for November.

Kalanick isn’t the only notable figure making this transition. California Republican Rep. Kevin Kiley pointed out that other high-profile individuals such as Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, and Oracle’s Larry Ellison, among others, are also planning to leave due to the proposed tax. Kiley has introduced the Keep Jobs in California Act of 2026, a federal bill aimed at preventing states from implementing retroactive taxes on former residents.

The trend of leaving California seems to extend beyond individual tech leaders. Numerous large corporations, including Palantir Technologies, ExxonMobil, and Chevron, have relocated their headquarters from traditionally blue states to red states, seeking more favorable tax conditions and business environments. Florida, which does not impose a state income tax, has emerged as a popular choice for many.