Physical AI leader Agile Robots raises $500 million Series F at $8.5 billion valuation to accelerate global growth

• Funding round brings the company's total funding raised to $2 billion.  
• SoftBank Group-led round, with participation from NVIDIA, Hitachi Group (Hitachi and Hitachi Ventures), T.Capital, and others.  
• Funding will support expansion in the United States, additional production capacity including in Germany, and entry into new markets.   
• Agile Robots has more than 20,000 robotic solutions installed worldwide.  

Agile Robots builds and deploys Physical AI – humanoid and mobile robots, robotic arms and hands, and the software and AI models behind them – to help industrial customers automate tasks that have traditionally relied on human dexterity and judgment. Its customers include leaders in the automotive, consumer electronics, healthcare and service industries.  

CEO and Founder Dr. Zhaopeng Chen said: “Physical AI will fundamentally change how the world builds, moves and makes things. Our vision is intelligent robots working alongside people in factories and warehouses everywhere, and Agile Robots is determined to lead that shift. We bring Physical AI out of the lab and into industrial production, across logistics, automotive, electronics and manufacturing. This funding allows us to accelerate our global expansion, strengthen our presence in key markets and build out production capacity.” 

The funding will support increased production capacity and expansion into key markets. Agile Robots plans to strengthen its presence in the United States and accelerate the development of innovative robotics applications.  

In addition, Agile Robots will continue to build out production capacity, including in Germany. Early in 2026, Agile Robots opened a new production site at Fürstenfeldbruck, near Munich, Germany, to meet rapidly rising demand. The site has the capacity to produce up to 10,000 legged and wheeled humanoid robots annually.  

The SoftBank Group-led round brought together investors spanning the automotive, artificial intelligence, digital and industrial technology sectors including among others NVIDIA, Hitachi Group (Hitachi and Hitachi Ventures) and T.Capital.  

“We believe Physical AI will transform industries. Agile Robots combines deep robotics expertise with the ability to execute at industrial scale, enabling it to bring Physical AI into everyday operations,” said Dennis Chang, Managing Partner at SoftBank Investment Advisers. “We are pleased to continue partnering with Dr. Chen and the Agile Robots team as they advance breakthroughs in industrial-scale automation.” 

Agile Robots was founded in 2018 as a spin-off from the German Aerospace Center (DLR), with the goal of applying world class robotics research to real world industry. Since then, the company has deployed 20,000 industrial robotic solutions for customers in the automotive, consumer electronics, logistics and other industries.   

Now the company is delivering Physical AI products – autonomous, flexible, adaptable robots – that help industries go beyond the limits of industrial automation. The company has over 2,000 R&D experts and over 650 patents. It has a growing portfolio of subsidiaries, including the globally dominant AI robotics research platform, Franka Robotics, and industrial deployment specialist Krause Automation, recently acquired from thyssenkrupp AG. Agile Robots manufactures in-house, including in Germany. 

Agile Robots is a leading provider of AI-powered robotics solutions to automotive, consumer electronics, healthcare, and service customers. By combining artificial intelligence and robotics, the company makes industries smarter, more flexible, and more efficient.    

Founded in Munich in 2018 by renowned robotics researchers from the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Agile Robots has experienced rapid global growth. Today, more than 3,500 highly skilled robotics and AI enthusiasts from almost 60 nations work for the company.   

Agile Robots is at the forefront of what's possible in robotics and automation. The company has one of the largest research and development teams in the AI and robotics industry and is a key driver of the industrial transformation. On more than 20,000 square meters of lab space, the international team bridges the gap between hardware and software to create the next generation of industrial automation solutions. The company has successfully filed over 650 patents to date.   

Agile Robots has built a unique portfolio, together with the subsidiaries BÄR Automation, Franka Robotics, Idealworks, and Krause Automation, the company covers all areas of AI-driven robotics.   

Find out more at: https://www.agile-robots.com/en/ 

Kathrin Vennemann  
communications@~@agile-robots.com