SoftBank's $500M+ Gravis Robotics Acquisition: How Roze Is Becoming a Construction Autonomy Powerhouse

Rather than requiring contractors to buy entirely new autonomous machines, Gravis mounts a rooftop unit — the "Gravis RACK" — onto existing equipment. Operators can switch between manual, co-pilot, and fully autonomous modes using a tablet interface called the "Slate" . The system has been demonstrated performing trenching, bulk excavation, truck loading, and hopper loading across multiple global deployments .

Key Deal Details

Estimated Valuation and Structure

According to sources cited by Bloomberg, the deal could ultimately value Gravis at more than $500 million (~¥82 billion) . The acquisition is expected to be phased — involving the purchase of existing shares and new capital injections over time . SoftBank plans to take a substantial equity stake and house Gravis under Roze, its newly formed AI and robotics entity .

Gravis Robotics' Recent Funding and Traction

In November 2025, Gravis raised $23 million in a round co-led by IQ Capital and Zacua Ventures, with participation from Pear VC, Imad (CVC of Nesma & Partners), Sunna Ventures, Armada Investment, and strategic investor Holcim . The company had raised more than $27 million in total funding up to that point .

Gravis claims its technology delivers up to a 30% increase in operator productivity, 97% bucket fill rates, and estimated annual net savings of up to $74,000+ per machine . This figure is company-claimed and not independently audited . The startup is already deployed across seven countries with partners including Holcim, Taylor Woodrow, Develon, and Hitachi .

How This Fits SoftBank's Broader Robotics Strategy

SoftBank is aggressively consolidating its robotics and AI assets into Roze, a new US-based entity that bundles robotics, data center construction, and AI infrastructure. The components include:

• $5.4 billion ABB robotics division purchase — a core asset folded into Roze .
• Gravis Robotics — would add autonomous heavy construction equipment capability to Roze's portfolio .
• Increased stake in Agile Robots — SoftBank has been expanding its position in this Chinese robotics firm, though specific stake details were not independently verified in this search batch.

Roze IPO Plans

SoftBank executives are targeting a US IPO for Roze in the second half of 2026, though the timeline could slip to 2027 . The company is targeting a valuation of approximately $100 billion, though some internal executives view this as bold, and the target may change . Roze has not yet reported product revenue or confirmed an IPO date .

Caveats and Open Questions

• All reporting on the Gravis deal is sourced from anonymous insiders via Bloomberg; SoftBank has not confirmed the talks .
• The Roze IPO valuation (~$100B) and H2 2026 timeline are aspirational targets that may change .
• The specific 30% productivity/safety figure appears in industry coverage of Gravis but is a company-claimed metric rather than an independently audited result.
• Discussions are at an early stage, and there is no guarantee a deal will be reached .