SoftBank Group Corp. is reportedly in advanced talks to acquire Swiss robotics startup Gravis Robotics AG, with a transaction valuation potentially exceeding $500 million. This move is a key step for founder Masayoshi Son in deepening the "physical AI" strategy, aiming to integrate Gravis's technology into the new AI robotics entity, Roze, which is currently under development.

Gravis Robotics, founded in 2022, is a spin-off from the Robotics Systems Lab at ETH Zurich. The company specializes in developing modular autonomous control kits for heavy earthmoving machinery, such as excavators. By combining LiDAR, cameras, GNSS positioning, and AI algorithms, its technology enables existing equipment to operate autonomously. According to the company, its solutions can improve construction efficiency by approximately 30%. Gravis's technology is already deployed in real-world applications across Europe and the United States, and it raised $23 million in funding at the end of 2025.

According to reports, SoftBank plans to execute the transaction in stages, including purchasing existing shares and injecting new capital, ultimately incorporating Gravis under its Roze entity. Roze is a new company established by SoftBank to consolidate its AI and robotics assets, with a target valuation of up to $100 billion, and it is also being prepared for a potential listing in the United States. Analysts suggest that acquiring Gravis would fill a gap in SoftBank's technology portfolio for physical scenarios with low automation, such as construction, creating synergies with its previous acquisitions, including ABB's robotics business and investments in Agile Robots. Currently, the final decision on the transaction's size and structure has not been made.