SoftBank Pledges $500M to Propel Skild AI’s Robotics Frontier
SoftBank Loves Skild AI and Robot Prowess
SoftBank has stepped into the robotics arena, pitching a $500 million cash injection into Skild AI—a 2‑year‑old startup carving out a $4 billion valuation by training a foundational model that can talk to robots.
Earlier this year, Skild grabbed a $300 million round at a $1.5 billion price tag. Big names like Jeff Bezos, Lightspeed Venture Partners, and Coatue Management were on board.
Why the Robots Are in Rage
According to founders Deepak Pathak and Abhinav Gupta (TechCrunch, July), Skild’s model is a jack‑of‑all‑trades: it can adapt to a wide variety of robots, from industrial arms to delivery drones, and be fine‑tuned for any niche task.
The Rubicon of Investment
Robotics meets AI has become the hottest ticket in venture capital. In the past year, investors—especially Bezos—have been pouring cash into companies that blend machinery and machine learning.
- Physical Intelligence (November) raised $400 million at a $2 billion pre‑money valuation. They’re developing a “brain” that can adapt to a bunch of different robots. The round was led by Jeff Bezos, Lux Capital, and Thrive Capital.
- Figure AI (February) built an AI‑powered humanoid robot and snagged $675 million at a $2.6 billion valuation. Funding came from Microsoft, OpenAI Startup Fund, Nvidia, Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund, and Jeff Bezos through Bezos Expeditions.
Final Thoughts
SoftBank’s move signals that the grand confluence of robotics and AI isn’t just a dream—it’s a fiscal dreamboat, and investors are ready to hop aboard with their financial life jackets.
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Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They’re here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don’t miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $675 before prices rise.
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