SoftBank Plots IPO for New Robotics Venture

SoftBank Group has agreed to acquire the industrial robotics business of Switzerland-based ABB for $5.4 billion in enterprise value, repositioning itself as a consolidated player in physical automation and AI. The transaction, subject to regulatory approval in the EU, China, and the US, is expected to close in mid-to-late 2026. ABB has abandoned its previous plan to spin off the robotics division as an independent publicly listed entity, instead opting for the SoftBank transaction. The acquired unit employs approximately 7,000 personnel and generated $2.3 billion in revenue during 2024, with an operational EBITA margin of 12.1%, accounting for nearly 7% of ABB's consolidated revenue.

CEO Masayoshi Son characterized the acquisition as a cornerstone of SoftBank's pivot toward "Physical AI," stating: "Together with ABB Robotics, we will unite world-class technology and talent under our shared vision to fuse ASI and robotics—driving a groundbreaking evolution that will propel humanity forward." This acquisition enables SoftBank to integrate ABB's established industrial robotics engineering capabilities with its existing portfolio of robotics investments, including SoftBank Robotics Group, Berkshire Grey, AutoStore, Agile Robots, and Skild AI. The company's stated objective is to accelerate innovation toward artificial super intelligence by combining AI chips, robots, data centers, energy infrastructure, and foundational AI companies.

Concurrently, SoftBank and Nvidia are negotiating a significant investment in Skild AI, a robotics foundation model company, in a funding round exceeding $1 billion that could value the startup at approximately $14 billion. This valuation represents nearly a tripling of Skild's prior $4.7 billion valuation from a Series B round earlier in 2026. Founded in 2023 by former Meta AI researchers and backed by Amazon and Lightspeed Venture Partners, Skild develops universal software platforms designed to function as central intelligence systems for robots across multiple form factors and use cases. The funding round reflects intensifying investor appetite for humanoid robotics firms as AI advancement enables increasingly sophisticated autonomous capabilities.

Son's capital deployment strategy extends beyond robotics acquisitions to encompass broader AI infrastructure commitments. SoftBank committed $500 million to the Stargate initiative alongside OpenAI and has proposed a $1 trillion AI and robotics industrial complex in Arizona, dubbed "Project Crystal Land." The company is also acquiring DigitalBridge Group for $4 billion to strengthen its digital infrastructure holdings. These moves position SoftBank to control critical convergence points across AI hardware, robotics, data centers, and power infrastructure—essential components for scaling artificial super intelligence deployment.