SoftBank plans to take AI robotics company Roze public in the US, aiming for a valuation of $100 billion

The UK-based Financial Times, citing informed sources, reported that SoftBank is planning to create and promote an AI and robotics company named Roze for a U.S. stock market listing, which could happen as early as 2026, with internal discussions valuing the company at up to $100 billion.

The core of this listing plan is not just to recreate a technology concept asset but to package SoftBank's various investments around AI infrastructure into the public market. Roze will participate in the construction of data centers and attempt to improve the efficiency of AI infrastructure construction using automated robots.

For SoftBank, the IPO is not only a financing window but also a matter of balance sheet pressure. Informed sources state that Masayoshi Son hopes to promote Roze's listing this year to offset the tens of billions of dollars in spending commitments in SoftBank's investment portfolio, including a large commitment to OpenAI.

Therefore, Roze's listing appears more like an asset monetization arrangement rather than a complete exit. SoftBank typically retains a majority stake after pushing companies into the public market, and after Arm went public in 2023, SoftBank still held nearly 90% of the shares, providing a reference path for Roze.

The market's disagreement centers on valuation and the quality of the business. The $100 billion target requires investors to believe that Roze's data centers, energy, land, infrastructure, and robotic assets can quickly achieve scale, rather than just residing at the AI narrative level. The company agreed last year to acquire ABB's robotics business for $5.4 billion and is advancing the construction of data centers, including a major project in Ohio, but there is still disagreement on whether these assets can support the valuation.

Furthermore, the listing window is not solely determined by SoftBank. The U.S. market may also face large IPOs from SpaceX, Anthropic, and OpenAI this year, and the capacity of investors' funds to absorb will directly affect Roze's issuance pace and valuation space.