SoftBank is said to be in preliminary discussions to support an $800 million funding round for Agile Robots.

      SoftBank appears to be continuing its investments in robotics. The Japanese conglomerate is currently in preliminary discussions to participate in a new funding round of approximately $800 million (€700 million) for Agile Robots, a startup based in Munich that specializes in robot arms, warehouse automation, and humanoid robots, as reported by Bloomberg.

      Sources familiar with the negotiations indicated that SoftBank would provide over $300 million of that amount, although they noted that these conversations are still in the early stages, meaning the figures and terms may still change. Neither company has commented on this matter, and the funding round has not been confirmed independently outside of Bloomberg's reporting, so the numbers should be viewed as indicative of ongoing negotiations rather than finalized agreements.

      What is more established is the relationship between the two entities. SoftBank previously led Agile Robots' $220 million Series C funding in 2021, which helped the company achieve unicorn status as Germany’s first robotics startup, so this new investment would represent a continuation of their existing partnership rather than a new engagement.

      Agile Robots was founded in 2018 by researchers from the German Aerospace Center and currently employs over 3,200 individuals in Germany, China, and India. The company produces both the software and hardware for its robots, focusing on a segment of the robotics market that investors find particularly promising: machines that perform physical tasks in factories, warehouses, and logistics centers, as opposed to merely software-based chatbots.

      Investor enthusiasm in this sector is reflected in the funding. Global investment in robotics and physical AI reached $27.6 billion in 2025, according to PitchBook, more than double the total from the previous year, as investors seek ways to apply AI in real-world scenarios. The general idea is that while the software has advanced, the next challenge is equipping it with physical capabilities.

      For SoftBank's founder, Masayoshi Son, this interest is longstanding. His company introduced the Pepper humanoid robot in 2014 but ceased production in 2020. Recently, SoftBank has been actively pursuing robotics investments, having agreed last year to acquire ABB’s industrial robotics division for $5.4 billion, and considering plans to establish and launch an AI and robotics firm named Roze.

      An investment in Agile Robots would fit well into this trend, contributing to Europe's burgeoning robotics landscape that Son frequently revisits, along with his €75 billion initiative for AI data centers in France. Additionally, Agile Robots would be entering a competitive market in Europe, where Germany's Neura Robotics recently secured around €1 billion with backing from the stablecoin issuer Tether, achieving a valuation of about €4 billion, and the Norwegian-American startup 1X was reportedly negotiating for up to $1 billion at a valuation of $10 billion.

      Overall, the funding is flowing more rapidly than the robots themselves, which remains a consistent characteristic of the industry. Currently, Agile Robots’ funding discussions are still in the negotiation phase, and the checks have yet to be finalized.