SoftBank and NVIDIA Eye $14B Skild AI Investment in Robot Brain Tech

SoftBank Group and NVIDIA are in advanced discussions to lead an investment exceeding one billion dollars in Skild AI, valuing the robotics software startup at approximately fourteen billion dollars, according to Reuters. This massive funding round would nearly triple Skild's valuation from the four point seven billion dollars it achieved just seven months earlier.

The deal highlights the growing investor interest in physical AI, which represents the convergence of large-scale machine learning models with robotics hardware. If successful, the investment would be one of the largest robotics funding rounds in recent history, signaling major confidence in AI-powered automation.

Founded in 2023 by former Meta AI researchers and backed by Amazon and Lightspeed Venture Partners, Skild is working to remove a major barrier to widespread robot deployment by building universal software that acts as a central brain for robots. Unlike competitors investing heavily in hardware, Skild AI develops a robot-agnostic foundation model that can be customized for various types of robots and use cases, reports TechCrunch.

Think of it as creating one intelligent system that can control quadrupeds, humanoids, tabletop arms, and mobile manipulators — essentially any robot form factor. The company unveiled its general-purpose robot model Skild Brain in July with videos showing robots picking up dishes and climbing up and down stairs.

Rather than focusing on specific hardware or one form-factor, Skild trains models that can work across different morphologies, including human data, vastly expanding the available training set. The company addresses the robotics data challenge through large-scale simulation and human videos from the internet to pre-train its foundation model at scale.

SoftBank was impressed by Skild's technology in pilot projects, according to sources familiar with the matter. Robotics is a key part of CEO Masayoshi Son's plan for SoftBank, which acquired the robotics business of Swiss engineering group ABB in a five point four billion dollar deal in October, Bloomberg reports.

For NVIDIA, the investment aligns with its broader push into physical AI and robotics computing.

The robotics industry is experiencing unprecedented growth. Over two point two six billion dollars in global robotics funding was raised in Q1 2025 alone, with AI-native platforms commanding premium multiples. Nearly thirteen million robots will be in circulation by 2030, driven by labor shortages and efficiency demands.

Even government support is strengthening. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is pushing to accelerate robotics development through meetings with industry CEOs, as the Trump administration weighs an executive order on robotics next year, Reuters notes.

The startup's valuation journey has been remarkable:

This represents a nearly triple increase in valuation from the four point seven billion dollars commanded in its Series B round earlier this year. Previous investors include LG Technology Ventures, Samsung, and others.

The potential Skild AI deal reflects several important trends shaping robotics investment:

Specialized robotics startups targeting defined verticals like warehouse automation or robotic picking accounted for over seventy percent of capital in Q1 2025. However, Skild's general-purpose approach is attracting massive interest precisely because it can serve multiple industries.

Skild isn't alone in pursuing the "robot brain" vision. Physical Intelligence, founded by Berkeley professor Sergey Levine, raised four hundred million dollars in November, also chasing a single foundation model for any robot, TechCrunch reported. The competition underscores how seriously investors are taking this technology category.

The talks remain fluid and some details could change, with sources indicating the deal is expected to close before Christmas, according to Bloomberg. Neither Skild AI nor SoftBank responded to requests for comment, while NVIDIA declined to comment on the reported discussions.

If the deal closes as expected, Skild AI will have raised over one point eight billion dollars in less than two years — a remarkable achievement that positions the company as a major player in the emerging physical AI sector.

The investment would also demonstrate that despite economic uncertainties, investor appetite for transformative AI robotics technology remains strong, particularly when backed by proven technology and strategic partnerships with industry leaders.

For more information about Skild AI's technology, visit the company's official website. To read the original breaking news, check out the Reuters report, TechCrunch coverage, or Bloomberg.