SoftBank leads $500 million bet on German robot maker Agile Robots
5 Sources
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Tech Giants Invest in German Robotics Start-Up at $8.5 Billion Valuation
Agile Robots plans to expand in the United States and increase production in Europe after raising funds in a round led by SoftBank. Agile Robots, a German company developing industrial robots powered by artificial intelligence, has raised $500 million in new funding from investors including
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German AI robotics start-up valued at $8.5 bn after new fundraising
One of Europe's leading makers of humanoid robots and robotic arms, Agile works in the field of "physical AI", with its equipment used to automate and speed up factory work. The Munich-based company raised $500 million in the funding round led by the Japanese tech investment giant SoftBank. Other
[3]
Agile Robots raises $500M funding led by SoftBank at $8.5B valuation
German artificial intelligence robotics startup Agile Robots SE said Thursday it raised $500 million in new funding at an $8.5 billion valuation. Japanese multinational investment holding company SoftBank led the Series F funding round. Other participants included AI chip leader Nvidia, Japanese
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SoftBank leads $500M investment in Agile Robots at $8.5B valuation
Agile Robots has raised $500 million in a funding round led by SoftBank, valuing the Munich-based robotics company at $8.5 billion. Nvidia, Hitachi and T.Capital also participated in the round. Agile said the investment brings its total funding to about $2 billion. The funding will support
[5]
Agile Robots Raises USD 500 Million: Valuation Hits USD 8.5 Billion
German robotics firm Agile Robots has raised USD 500 million in a SoftBank-led funding round, reaching a USD 8.5 billion valuation. The company plans to expand its US business, boost robot production and strengthen its German manufacturing operations. German robotics company Agile Robots has
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Agile Robots has raised $500 million led by SoftBank at an $8.5 billion valuation. The Munich humanoid robot maker plans US expansion and says an IPO is now on the agenda.
Agile Robots, a Munich company that builds humanoid robots and robotic arms for factories, has raised $500 million in a round led by SoftBank that values it at $8.5 billion.
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The company says the round, announced on November 12, makes it one of Europe's most valuable robotics firms. It also signals that big money is still flowing into physical AI.2
Source: Analytics Insight
Nvidia, Hitachi and T.Capital joined SoftBank in the round, which takes Agile's total funding to about $2 billion.
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The money is earmarked for expansion in the United States, more production capacity in Germany, entry into new markets and hiring more engineers.1
Zhaopeng Chen founded the company in 2018 as a German Aerospace Center spin-off. He said the funding leaves it well placed to consider a future IPO.1
The new money follows a $220 million round SoftBank also led in 2021 which, per Dataconomy's reporting, made Agile Germany's first robotics unicorn.
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The Japanese investment giant has since put robotics at the center of its AI strategy. That strategy needs somewhere to go: per Dataconomy's reporting, Chinese regulators blocked SoftBank's planned $5.4 billion takeover of a major industrial robotics business.4
A company spokesman told Agence France-Presse the valuation makes Agile Europe's most valuable "physical AI" robotics firm, a claim that has not been independently checked.
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That puts it ahead of fellow German robotics firm Neura Robotics, which was valued at roughly $7 billion in June.1
From pilots to production
Agile says it has already deployed around 20,000 robots across automotive, electronics and logistics customers, which sets it apart from humanoid startups still running pilots.
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Early this year it opened a factory near Munich that, by its own account, can turn out as many as 10,000 legged and wheeled humanoid robots annually.2
Actual output is expected to be far lower, about 2,000 units in 2026, though the company projects that could double or triple in 2027.4
Source: SiliconANGLE
Per the company, rising demand for industrial automation and humanoid robots is driving the scale-up.
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Its systems are being tested with customers including Volkswagen's Audi.4
Chen himself has named three unresolved problems for humanoids: how long the batteries last, how the weight is distributed and how good the real-world training data is. He has described the race to build physical AI as a capital-intensive war.4
Europe's bet
Europe lags the United States and China in producing the best-known AI models, but some in the industry believe industrial deployment could be where it finds an edge.
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Chen called physical AI "one of the solutions for Europe."1
Agile is plugging into the major AI ecosystems, working with partners including Google DeepMind and shipping its Agile One SN humanoid preconfigured for Nvidia's Isaac GR00T models.1
It will not be easy: Agile faces established automation suppliers such as Universal Robots and Yaskawa. Its humanoid rivals include Figure AI, Apptronik and Agility Robotics, and Chinese competitors like Unitree enjoy substantial government backing.
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"Our vision is intelligent robots working alongside people in factories and warehouses everywhere, and Agile Robots is determined to lead that shift," Chen said.
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Source: France 24
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