SoftBank Group (SBG, 9984.T) is exploring the acquisition of Gravis Robotics, a Swiss robotics development startup specializing in autonomous driving technology for construction machinery, sources have revealed. The acquisition could reach up to $500 million (approximately ¥82 billion), with SBG planning to place the company under its newly established AI and robotics holding company, “Roze.”

Bloomberg reported the news on the 24th, citing multiple people familiar with the matter. The move once again highlights SBG’s aggressive investment in the “Physical AI” domain.

Acquisition Overview and Objectives

According to sources, SBG is negotiating to acquire a substantial stake in Gravis Robotics. In addition to purchasing shares from existing shareholders, SBG may gradually underwrite new shares. The acquired shares are expected to be incorporated into the portfolio of Roze, the new company SBG is establishing in the United States. An SBG spokesperson declined to comment on the matter.

Gravis Robotics was founded in Zurich, Switzerland, in 2022 and possesses strong expertise in “smart construction equipment” technology, which uses AI to autonomously control heavy machinery such as excavators and bulldozers. The company had just raised $23 million (approximately ¥4 billion at the time) from venture capital firms in November 2025 and was rapidly expanding its business foundation.

Accelerating the Physical AI Strategy

In recent years, SBG has positioned “Physical AI”—using AI to operate robots in the real world—as a next-generation growth pillar and has continued making large-scale investments. The company has already agreed to acquire the robotics division spun out from Swiss heavy electrical equipment giant ABB (ABBN.S) in the second half of 2026. That division has a strong customer base in Japan’s automotive industry and is also known for developing robotic arms that can perceive their surroundings and operate autonomously.

The envisioned acquisition of Gravis signals SBG’s intention to make a full-scale entry into the autonomous heavy machinery sector, which operates in harsh outdoor environments like construction sites, in addition to industrial robots that work inside factories.

SBG’s investment fund arm, the Vision Fund, has a track record of investing in numerous robotics-related startups. The company has also established “Robo HD,” an intermediate holding company that consolidates roughly 20 related portfolio companies, including SoftBank Robotics, the developer of the emotion-recognition robot “Pepper.” The creation of Roze is seen as a move to further reorganize and strengthen the group’s overall robotics business.

Market Impact and Outlook

The construction equipment automation market is expected to expand globally, driven by a shortage of skilled operators and the need for improved safety. If SBG can combine ABB-derived industrial robot technology with Gravis’s autonomous construction machinery technology, it would be able to provide “autonomous solutions” spanning from factories to construction sites.

However, integration risks exist if the acquisition is completed. Gravis is a young company founded just over four years ago, and maintaining its speed of technological development within SBG’s massive organizational structure will be a challenge. The $500 million valuation may also spark debate among investors over whether it is commensurate with the company’s technological capabilities and future potential.

Through Roze, SBG aims to become a platformer in the Physical AI era. Market scrutiny is intensifying over whether this series of large-scale acquisitions will bear fruit.