SoftBank weighs deal for Swiss excavator autonomy startup Gravis

SoftBank is evaluating a potential transaction for Gravis Robotics, a Swiss company that converts standard excavators into autonomous earthmoving machines. The discussions are reported to be at an early stage, with no details disclosed regarding the structure, size, or valuation of a possible deal. A successful agreement would mark the latest move in Masayoshi Son’s rapid expansion into the physical robotics sector.

Spun out of ETH Zurich’s Robotic Systems Lab in 2022, Gravis takes a pragmatic approach to automation. Instead of building robots from the ground up, the company retrofits existing heavy machinery with a hardware kit it calls Rack. The system combines LiDAR, cameras, and hydraulic sensors to allow diggers to trench and grade soil independently, using a tablet interface named Slate to switch between manual and autonomous modes.

The startup claims its technology can increase site productivity by roughly 30%. Since raising $23m in November 2025 in a round co-led by IQ Capital and Zacua Ventures, Gravis says its kits are deployed on active construction sites across seven countries. Its customer list reportedly includes contractors Taylor Woodrow and Flannery, as well as cement group Holcim, which uses the technology in its quarries.

For SoftBank, targeting a digger retrofitting firm is a deliberate step beyond factory robotics and into the construction sector. The Japanese group recently finalized a $5.4bn acquisition of ABB’s robotics division, backed by a $1.75bn syndicated loan completed this week. SoftBank is simultaneously offloading its remaining stake in Boston Dynamics to Hyundai, while reportedly preparing to anchor an $800m funding round for German firm Agile Robots and having put $500m into Skild AI earlier in 2025.

This aggressive consolidation reflects a broader market shift. Global robotics investment more than doubled to $27.6bn in 2025. While much attention goes to humanoid machines, capital is increasingly flowing toward practical automation that addresses immediate economic pain points, such as the construction industry's persistent shortage of skilled machine operators. European engineering hubs are proving fertile ground for this technology, even as the capital required to scale it is increasingly supplied by massive overseas funds like SoftBank's planned $100bn AI and robotics vehicle, Roze.