Robotics software maker Skild AI hits $14B valuation

Skild AI, a startup that develops foundation models for robots, has more than tripled its valuation in just seven months.

The company has raised a $1.4 billion Series C funding round, valuing it at more than $14 billion, according to Bloomberg. The round was led by SoftBank, with participation from Nvidia, Macquarie Group, 1789 Capital, and other investors.

Skild AI previously raised funding at a $4.5 billion valuation last summer, Bloomberg reported. While the company did not disclose the exact size of the round — which was rumoured to be around $500 million — Skild AI CEO Deepak Pathak told Bloomberg that the company has raised more than $2 billion in total funding to date.

Founded in 2023, Skild AI develops general-purpose robotic software and foundation models designed to be retrofitted across a wide range of robots and tasks without requiring extensive additional training. The company’s long-term goal is for these models to learn by observing humans perform tasks, enabling robots to adapt more efficiently.

Interest in this type of adaptive, learn-as-you-go robotic software has increased alongside growing enthusiasm around humanoid robots. One significant challenge limiting robot adoption in both consumer and industrial settings is the training required for robots to master each new task. Software that allows robots to learn and adjust in real time could significantly accelerate broader adoption.

Another startup working toward similar goals is Field AI. Meanwhile, the maker of the humanoid Neo, 1X, recently released a world model to address the same challenge.