Japan's SoftBank Group and Nvidia Corp. are in discussions to invest in robotics artificial intelligence (AI) startup Skild AI at a $14 billion valuation, according to sources and a term sheet seen by Reuters on Monday, as the Trump administration reportedly prepares to go "all in" on accelerating America's robotics industry development.
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The talks would see the companies participate in a funding round exceeding $1 billion for the marker of foundational models for robots. If successful, the deal would nearly triple Skild AI’s valuation from the $4.7 billion it commanded in a $500 million Series B round earlier this year, included participation from Nvidia, LG's venture capital arm and Samsung, according to PitchBook data.
The discussions underscore surging investor interest in humanoid robotics firms as advances in artificial intelligence make such robots increasingly capable of performing complex tasks. Still, experts caution that truly general-purpose robotic applications remain technically challenging and could still be years away from widespread adoption.
The deal is expected to close before Christmas, though talks remain fluid and some details could change, a source said. SoftBank and Skild AI did not immediately respond to requests for comment, while Nvidia declined to comment.
SoftBank and Nvidia Eye Major Investment
The funding round comes as SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son makes robotics a key part of the company's strategy. SoftBank acquired the robotics business of Swiss engineering group ABB in a $5.4 billion deal in October. A person familiar with the matter said SoftBank was impressed by Skild's technology in pilot projects, requesting anonymity as the matter was private.
Skild AI's Series B funding round was led by a $100 million investment from SoftBank, Bloomberg reported in June. The talks reported on Monday mark continued interest from Nvidia, which previously participated in Skild's Series B round.
Skild AI raised $300 million at a $1.5 billion valuation in its Series A round last year, with investments from Jeff Bezos, SoftBank Group and Khosla Ventures among others.
Building Brains for Robots
Founded in 2023 by former Meta AI researchers and backed by Amazon.com and Lightspeed Venture Partners, Skild AI is attempting to overcome a key hurdle that has slowed the broader deployment of general-purpose machines in factories and homes by developing universal software designed to serve as the brain for robots.
The company focuses on AI models for robots of all form factors rather than building any hardware of its own. It uses vast data to teach robots perception and decision-making skills similar to those of humans. Skild AI unveiled its first general-purpose AI model in July, saying the system can adapt to a wide range of environments and tasks from warehouse logistics to household chores.
Powered by Nvidia's accelerated computing infrastructure, Skild AI has developed a technique to train what it calls the Skild Brain, an omni-bodied robot foundation model. Unlike other robotics models that are overfit to specific types of robots, the Skild Brain can control any robot, even without knowing its exact body.
Nvidia touted earlier this year that its accelerated computing and simulation libraries enable Skild AI to develop robots costing $4,000 to $15,000, compared to traditional robotic systems requiring $250,000-plus investments.
Trump Administration Goes 'All In' on Robotics
U.S. 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, Politico reported last week. Lutnick has been meeting with robotics industry CEOs and is "all in" on accelerating the sector's development, according to three people familiar with the discussions cited by Politico on December 3.
A Department of Commerce spokesperson the same day said the administration is "committed to robotics and advanced manufacturing because they are central to bringing critical production back to the United States."
The Department of Transportation is preparing to announce a robotics working group, possibly before year-end, Politico cited one person familiar with the planning. The push represents the latest front in Washington's technology competition with China.
The International Federation of Robotics estimates that by 2023, China had 1.8 million industrial robots in its factories—four times as many as the U.S. Funding for robotics is on pace to hit $2.3 billion in 2025, doubling last year′s total, according to CB Insights. Goldman Sachs estimates the global market for humanoid robots could reach $38 billion by 2035.
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