SoftBank Invests $200 Million in Construction Startup Gravis Robotics

Industry Pulse News Desk · 2026-08-17

SoftBank commits $200 million to Gravis Robotics to accelerate the development and deployment of autonomous heavy machinery for the construction sector.

SoftBank Group has agreed to invest $200 million in Gravis Robotics, an autonomous construction startup focused on developing self-operating heavy machinery. The funding round aims to commercialize the company's proprietary technology, which enables excavators and earth-moving equipment to execute complex tasks on job sites without direct human intervention.

Gravis Robotics manufactures integrated software and hardware systems that can be retrofitted onto standard industrial machinery. Once programmed with project specifications and site blueprints, the autonomous systems guide heavy equipment to designated areas and carry out structural excavation and material transport independently.

Chief executive leadership at Gravis Robotics stated that the technology allows operators to initiate complete workflows with minimal setup. Once activated, the machinery autonomously drives to the designated starting point and executes the entirety of the assigned task under centralized software monitoring.

The $200 million capital commitment marks a substantial addition to SoftBank's global portfolio of industrial automation and robotics ventures. Capital from this investment round will be directed toward scaling hardware production, expanding software engineering teams, and accelerating commercial deployment across major international infrastructure projects.

The construction industry has increasingly turned toward automated solutions in response to persistent labor shortages, rising operational costs, and safety concerns. Integration of fully autonomous heavy machinery is expected to help construction firms maintain project timelines and reduce on-site hazards.