Prime Highlight
- SoftBank Group and Nvidia are reportedly nearing a deal to invest over $1 billionin Skild AI at a $14 billion valuation, nearly tripling the company’s value within months.
- The rapid surge in investor interest highlights the accelerating race to back AI-driven robotics platforms capable of powering a wide range of physical machines.
Key Facts
- Skild AI last raised $500 million in Mayat a $4.7 billion valuation, with SoftBank, LG Technology Ventures, Samsung, and Nvidia participating.
- Skild AI develops robot-agnostic foundation models, including its newly introduced Skild Brain, which enables robots to perform real-world tasks like carrying dishes and climbing stairs.
Background
SoftBank Group and Nvidia are reportedly in advanced talks to lead an investment of more than $1 billion in Skild AI at a valuation of around $14 billion, according to a report from Reuters. If completed, the deal would almost triple the company’s valuation within months, highlighting the fast-growing investor interest in AI-driven robotics platforms.
Skild AI, founded less than three years ago, last raised $500 million in May at a valuation of $4.7 billion. That round was also led by SoftBank, with support from major backers including LG Technology Ventures, Samsung, and Nvidia. The company has not commented on the latest discussions, while SoftBank and Nvidia also declined to respond.
Unlike several robotics startups that build both hardware and software, Skild AI focuses only on software. It is developing a robot-agnostic foundation model that can be adjusted for many types of robots and real-world tasks. In July, Skild AI introduced its general-purpose model, Skild Brain, and shared videos showing robots performing everyday actions like lifting dishes and climbing stairs.
The company has formed strategic partnerships with LG CNS and Hewlett-Packard Enterprise to grow its technology ecosystem.
Investor interest in AI robotics continues to rise sharply. Physical Intelligence, another startup building robot “brains,” recently raised about $600 million at a $5.6 billion valuation, led by CapitalG. In the humanoid robot space, Figure secured more than $1 billion in September at a striking $39 billion valuation, while 1X has been exploring a funding deal of up to $1 billion at a valuation near $10 billion.
The momentum signals a broader shift as investors bet on AI models that can power a wide range of physical machines in the coming years.