Robotics start-up, Skild AI is reported to be in advanced discussions with SoftBank Group and Nvidia regarding a funding round that could exceed $1 billion. The investment could see Skild AI’s valuation soar from $4.7 billion earlier this year to approximately $14 billion.
A Surge of Investor Interest in Robotics and AI
Skild AI has demonstrated remarkable progress since its inception, including a $300 million Series A raise in 2023 at a $1.5 billion valuation and a $500 million Series B round last year, lifting its valuation to $4.7 billion.
Central to Skild AI’s technology is its Skild Brain platform, unveiled in July 2024. Unlike traditional, task-specific robotic AI, Skild Brain is designed to serve as a versatile, shared intelligence across various robotic platforms and applications. The company claims that this model enables cost-effective robots to manage a diverse range of industrial and commercial tasks, addressing persistent labour shortages across multiple sectors.
Abhinav Gupta, president and co-founder, stated SKild AI aims to “expand the capabilities of robots, democratise their cost, and support the severely understaffed labour market” by enabling general-purpose robots to safely execute automated tasks in a range of environments and forms. Skild AI claims its model benefits from targeted real-world data post-training, which the company says allows robots to operate effectively outside laboratories and simulations, positioning Skild at the forefront of “embodied intelligence” – AI with the capacity to perceive, reason, and act in physical environments.
Nvidia and SoftBank join forces
Nvidia’s hardware and software solutions are widely considered essential for training and running large-scale AI models, making its involvement with Skild a logical step.
For SoftBank, the investment would complement its ongoing push into robotics, highlighted by its planned $5.375 billion acquisition of ABB’s robotics business announced in October. The group has consistently invested in transformative tech, particularly AI and robotics, as part of its long-term vision for shaping industrial futures.
Market impact
Unlike most current robotic AI solutions, which are typically specialised for single tasks, Skild AI’s general-purpose approach aims to deliver adaptable intelligence for a broad array of robots – from humanoid forms to industrial arms. This adaptability could lower deployment costs and broaden access to advanced automation, particularly for industries struggling with staffing or financial pressures. Additionally, such technology may facilitate safer, more flexible human-robot collaboration in settings like warehouses, healthcare, and manufacturing.
The anticipated leap in Skild AI’s valuation to $14 billion would place it among the world’s most valuable robotics startups. The partnership with Nvidia and SoftBank could further accelerate the deployment of Skild’s technology to bridge the gap between experimental research and practical, multi-purpose robotics.
Earlier this year in a US$5.4 billion deal, we revealed that SoftBank is set to buy ABB’s robotics business, as the investment company’s founder and CEO Masayoshi Son aims to venture into the robotics sector.
After a period of retrenchment, SoftBank is now expanding its investing activity through this significant acquisition. It comes during a time where robotics has struggled to retain demand across Asia, with companies pausing investments on account of economic uncertainty.
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