Mobileye to Buy Mentee Robotics for $900 Million

• Mentee Robotics was valued at roughly $162 million in a March funding round where it raised $21 million, making this acquisition a significant valuation increase to $900 million
• Mobileye CEO Amnon Shashua co-founded Mentee Robotics and serves as the startup's co-CEO, highlighting close existing ties between the companies
• First proof-of-concept customer deployments are expected in 2026, with series production and full commercialization targeted for 2028

Mobileye Acquires Mentee Robotics for $900 Million in Humanoid Robotics Bet

Mobileye Global announced Tuesday it will acquire humanoid robotics startup Mentee Robotics for approximately $900 million, marking the Israeli autonomous driving firm's expansion into embodied AI and robotics. The deal was unveiled at the CES technology show in Las Vegas.

Key Transaction Details:

• Acquisition price: $900 million
• Expected closing: Q1 2026, subject to customary conditions
• Mentee's previous valuation: $162 million (March funding round that raised $21 million)
• Represents a 455% premium over last valuation

Strategic Rationale:

The acquisition leverages overlapping technologies between autonomous vehicles and robotics, including sensing, perception, and decision-making systems. Amnon Shashua serves as CEO of both Mobileye and co-CEO of Mentee Robotics, having cofounded the startup. Mentee's investors include Cisco and Samsung's venture capital arms.

Technology and Timeline:

Mentee Robotics develops general-purpose humanoid robots using a unique approach that converts single human demonstrations into millions of virtual training repetitions, reducing real-world data collection requirements. First proof-of-concept customer deployments are targeted for 2026, with commercial production planned for 2028.

Market Context:

The humanoid robotics sector is experiencing rapid growth, driven by potential applications in warehouses, factories, and complex environments to address labor shortages. Mobileye's parent company Intel previously divested its RealSense computer vision business to expand robotics capabilities. Competitors include Tesla, Figure AI, Agility Robotics, and Chinese startups, with Tesla CEO Elon Musk predicting humanoid robots will become Tesla's largest business long-term.

The deal underscores increasing convergence between autonomous driving and robotics technologies in the AI landscape.