SoftBank Group
PublicJapanese technology investor whose Vision Fund has shaped the global humanoid and robotics industry through landmark investments and acquisitions.
Founded 1981Undisclosed raised
Japanese technology investor whose Vision Fund has shaped the global humanoid and robotics industry through landmark investments and acquisitions.
SoftBank Group is a Japanese investment and technology conglomerate that has played a defining role in the global robotics industry through acquisitions, venture investing, and long-term capital deployment. Founded in 1981 by Masayoshi Son, the company has invested billions of dollars in robotics, artificial intelligence, and automation through its balance sheet and the Vision Fund. SoftBank’s robotics portfolio has included the acquisition of Aldebaran Robotics, creator of Pepper and NAO, ownership of Boston Dynamics, and the acquisition of ABB’s robotics division. Through the Vision Fund, the company has also backed many of the world’s leading AI and robotics businesses, making SoftBank one of the most influential capital allocators in the evolution of humanoid robotics.
SoftBank Agrees to Acquire Marc Raibert’s Robotics & AI Institute
SoftBank Group has agreed to acquire the Robotics & AI Institute from Hyundai Motor Group.
Robotico
Boston Dynamics IPO Unlikely As Atlas Awaits Large-Scale Deployment
Boston Dynamics is unlikely to pursue an initial public offering in 2027 as the company remains unprofitable and has yet to deploy its Atlas humanoid robots at scale, according to a senior Hyundai Motor Group executive speaking to Reuters.
Robotico
SoftBank in Talks to Acquire Majority Stake in 1X
SoftBank is reportedly in talks to acquire a majority stake in 1X Technologies at a $6 billion valuation, a deal that could give the Japanese investment group control of one of the most prominent companies developing humanoid robots for the home.
Robotico
Skild AI and the Rise of the Shared Robotic Mind
How a data-rich, omni-bodied foundation model is quietly becoming the default intelligence layer for humanoids, logistics fleets, and construction robots worldwide.
Jess Alvarez
$405M in Two Rounds: The Investment Thesis Behind FieldAI's $2B Unicorn Status
In eighteen months, FieldAI went from stealth to unicorn without shipping a robot. The cap table reads like a conviction vote on a very specific thesis: in robotics, the brain is worth more than the body.
Jess AlvarezSoftBank was founded in 1981 by Masayoshi Son, who built it from a software distributor into Japan's third-largest company. Early bets on Yahoo and Alibaba ($20M → $100B+) defined Son's investment style.
In 2012, SoftBank acquired Aldebaran (NAO, Pepper) for $100 million. Pepper, unveiled in 2014, sold 1,000 units in 60 seconds at launch. However, production paused in 2021 due to weak demand. SoftBank acquired Boston Dynamics in 2017 but sold 80% to Hyundai in 2021 for $880 million.
Son launched the $100 billion Vision Fund, rebuilding the robotics portfolio through Berkshire Grey, AutoStore, Agile Robots, Fourier, and Skild AI.
On October 8, 2025, SoftBank announced the $5.375 billion acquisition of ABB's robotics division (7,000 employees, $2.3 billion revenue). Son declared "SoftBank's next frontier is Physical AI," creating one of the world's most comprehensive robotics ecosystems.
