German robotics firm hits a staggering $8.5 billion valuation as AI hardware race heats up

Agile Robots, a Munich-based startup focused on 'physical AI' for industrial automation, has secured a massive $500 million funding round. The investment, led by SoftBank with participation from Nvidia and Hitachi, values the company at a staggering $8.5 billion, cementing its position as Europe's most valuable robotics firm in this sector. Founded in 2018, the company develops humanoid robots and robotic arms designed to work alongside humans in factories and warehouses. This funding provides significant capital for global expansion at a time when investment in tangible AI hardware—robots that interact with the physical world—is surging. The round signals strong investor confidence in moving beyond purely digital AI toward systems that can perform real-world tasks, positioning Agile Robots to be a major player in the next phase of industrial automation.