SoftBank and Nvidia reportedly in talks to fund Skild AI at $14B, nearly tripling its value
In Brief
Posted:
2:30 PM PST · December 8, 2025
SoftBank Group and Nvidia are in discussions to lead a significant investment of over $1 billion, valuing Skild AI at a staggering $14 billion. This potential deal would nearly triple the startup's value, according to Reuters (https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/softbank-nvidia-looking-invest-skild-ai-14-billion-valuation-sources-say-2025-12-08/).
Skild AI, a software company founded just over three years ago, has already raised $500 million in a funding round led by SoftBank, with participation from LG Technology Ventures, Samsung, Nvidia, and others, as per PitchBook data. However, the company's latest valuation of $14 billion is a significant leap from its previous $4.7 billion valuation in May.
What sets Skild AI apart is its focus on developing a robot-agnostic foundation model. Unlike other startups that build proprietary hardware, Skild AI's model can be customized for various types of robots and use cases. This approach has gained attention from investors, especially in the AI robotics sector.
The company's general-purpose robot model, Skild Brain, was unveiled in July, showcasing robots performing tasks like picking up dishes and climbing stairs. Skild AI has also formed strategic partnerships with LG CNS and Hewlett Packard Enterprise to expand its ecosystem.
The interest in AI robotics is on the rise. Another company, Physical Intelligence, recently raised $600 million at a $5.6 billion valuation, led by Capital G (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-11-20/robotics-startup-physical-intelligence-valued-at-5-6-billion-in-new-funding). However, one investor who evaluated Physical Intelligence but declined to fund it told TechCrunch that its model is still in the early stages of development.
In September, Figure, a humanoid robot developer, secured more than $1 billion at a massive $39 billion valuation (https://techcrunch.com/2025/09/16/figure-reaches-39b-valuation-in-latest-funding-round/). Meanwhile, 1X, another humanoid robot developer, was in talks to secure up to $1 billion at a $10 billion valuation, according to The Information (https://www.theinformation.com/articles/humanoid-robot-developer-1x-targets-1-billion-new-funding?rc=em6blq).
The tech industry's fascination with AI robotics continues to grow, and these funding rounds highlight the potential for significant returns in this sector. However, as the article points out, it's essential to consider the development stage of these startups to make informed investment decisions.
