I keep telling people that they should keep an eye on Agility Robotics in the Corvallis, Oregon, area. And it seems like I’m not the only one. The Information is reporting that SoftBank — yes, that SoftBank — may have been considering acquiring Agility Robotics at a valuation of at least $900 million. A unicorn-ish exit, if you round up.
Late last year Son met with representatives from Agility Robotics, a 10-year-old startup led by former Microsoft executive Peggy Johnson that is developing humanoid robots to move boxes in warehouses and perform other industrial tasks, according to a person with knowledge of the conversation. During the meeting, the attendees discussed the possibility of SoftBank acquiring Agility for at least $900 million, this person said.
Instead of pursuing an acquisition, Agility began raising fresh funds in an ongoing funding round that values the company at $1.75 billion before the investment. SoftBank is participating in the funding.
For more, read “SoftBank Hunts for Humanoid Robot Startups.”
