German robotics manufacturer Agile Robots has raised $500 million in a funding round led by SoftBank, valuing the Munich-based company at $8.5 billion. NVIDIA, Hitachi and T.Capital also participated in the financing, announced on November 12.
The investment will support the company’s expansion into the United States and increase manufacturing capacity, including in Germany. It brings Agile Robots’ total funding to approximately $2 billion, according to the company.
Agile Robots develops industrial automation systems spanning robotic arms, mobile platforms, humanoids and the software that controls them. Founded in 2018 as a spinout from the German Aerospace Center, the company has expanded its portfolio through acquisitions including Franka Robotics.
The funding comes as Agile Robots builds out its humanoid manufacturing operations. Earlier this year, it opened a production facility in Fürstenfeldbruck, near Munich, with stated annual capacity of up to 10,000 humanoid robots across legged and wheeled platforms. That figure represents manufacturing capacity rather than actual annual production or confirmed customer deliveries.
Its humanoid portfolio includes Agile ONE, while its broader industrial business provides automation systems for manufacturing and logistics. The company says more than 20,000 of its automation solutions are in use worldwide, a figure that encompasses its wider product portfolio rather than humanoids alone.
The round also brings together investors with existing interests in robotics hardware, artificial intelligence and industrial deployment. NVIDIA had previously announced plans to invest in Agile Robots in October, while Hitachi announced a Physical AI partnership with the company in September.
The latest financing gives Agile Robots additional capital to expand its industrial operations and scale production. The company has not disclosed how much of the new funding will be allocated specifically to humanoid manufacturing.
