[German robotics company Agile Robots raises $500 million in new funding, valuing the company at $8.5 billion] According to The New York Times, German industrial robotics company Agile Robots has raised $500 million in a new funding round led by SoftBank, with participation from investors including Nvidia, bringing its valuation to $8.5 billion. Agile Robots founder Zhaopeng Chen stated that the funds will be used for expansion in the US, increasing production in Germany, entering new markets, and preparing for a potential future IPO. The company is collaborating with partners such as Google DeepMind and has raised a total of $2 billion. Founded in 2018, Agile Robots focuses on combining artificial intelligence and robotics to help factories improve productivity and reduce costs.