SoftBank, NVIDIA in Talks to Fund Skild AI at $14B Valuation

Skild AI Secures Potential $1 Billion Investment

SoftBank Group and Nvidia are reportedly engaged in discussions to spearhead a funding round exceeding $1 billion in Skild AI. This investment would value the robotics software company at $14 billion, as reported by Reuters.

Recent Valuation and Funding History

Skild AI’s previous valuation stood at $4.7 billion as of May, following a $500 million funding round. This earlier round was led by SoftBank, with contributions from LG Technology Ventures, Samsung, Nvidia, and other investors, according to PitchBook data.

Neither Skild AI, SoftBank, nor Nvidia have issued immediate comments regarding the ongoing negotiations.

Focus on Software, Not Hardware

A key differentiator for Skild AI is its strategic focus on software development. Unlike many other well-funded startups in the robotics space, the company is not involved in building its own proprietary hardware.

Instead, Skild AI is concentrating on creating a robot-agnostic foundational model. This model is designed to be adaptable and customizable for a diverse range of robotic platforms and applications.

Skild Brain and Strategic Partnerships

In July, the company introduced Skild Brain, its general-purpose robot model. Demonstrations showcased robots performing tasks such as object manipulation and navigating stairs.

To bolster its ecosystem, Skild AI has established strategic alliances with LG CNS and Hewlett Packard Enterprise.

Growing Investor Interest in AI Robotics

Investment activity within the AI robotics sector is experiencing consistent growth. Physical Intelligence, a competitor developing robotic control systems, recently secured $600 million in funding at a $5.6 billion valuation, led by CapitalG.

However, one investor who considered funding Physical Intelligence indicated to TechCrunch that their model remains in its initial phases of development.

Notable Funding Rounds in the Robotics Sector

September saw Figure, a humanoid robot developer, raise over $1 billion, achieving a substantial $39 billion valuation.

Furthermore, 1X, another company focused on humanoid robots, was reportedly in negotiations to obtain up to $1 billion in funding at a $10 billion valuation, as reported by The Information several months prior.

• Skild AI: Developing a robot-agnostic foundational model.
• Physical Intelligence: Creating “brains” for a broad range of robots.
• Figure: Focused on developing a humanoid robot.
• 1X: Another humanoid robot developer.