Agile Robots Raises $500 Million at $8.5 Billion Valuation

Agile Robots has raised $500 million in a Series F funding round led by SoftBank, valuing the German robotics company at $8.5 billion. Nvidia, Hitachi and T. Capital also participated. The company said the financing brings its total funding to about $2 billion.

Agile said it will use the capital to expand in the United States and other markets, increase manufacturing capacity and hire engineers. The company develops humanoid and mobile robots, robotic arms and software for automating physical work in industrial settings.

The funding follows earlier discussions in which SoftBank was reported to have considered a larger investment. The completed round was $500 million. SoftBank previously led Agile’s $220 million Series C in 2021, according to reports on the company’s history.

Agile is seeking to move its robots from pilot projects into wider industrial use. Its systems are being tested with manufacturing customers, including Volkswagen’s Audi, according to reports. Agile also sells smaller robots to universities and laboratories. The company says it has deployed or installed about 20,000 robotic systems worldwide, a cumulative figure that covers its existing customer base rather...