Hyundai nears full Boston Dynamics Ownership in fresh $325M deal

U.S. Robotics company Boston Dynamics, which was acquired by SoftBank Group in 2017, is set to be bought out in its entirety by South Korea's Hyundai Motor Group. The group is to purchase SoftBank's remaining 9.65% stake in the company for about $325 million, forming full ownership.

It is said that Hyundai's board is to approve this deal on June 22. Hyundai and its subsidiaries own more than 90% of Boston Dynamics' after Hyundai bought majority partnership from SoftBank in 2021. This buyout deal will bind up the deal structure finalized in a deal-a buyout put-option--permit SoftBank to sell back the remaining shares to Hyundai at pre-agreed conditions.

The completed deal would exit SoftBank from Boston Dynamics, a company that designs mobile and industrial robots, including samples such as Spot, Stretch, and Atlas. Neither Hyundai nor SoftBank commented on the report.

Robotics Takes Larger Role in Manufacturing

Hyundai's acquisition comes at a time when investment in robotics is drawing increased focus across manufacturing, logistics and warehousing operations. For Hyundai, it would make Boston Dynamics a wholly owned part of a business that complements broader initiatives in automation and new mobility tech.

Hyundai's 2021 purchase of Boston Dynamics from Softbank was then valued at USD1.1 billion. Since this time, Boston Dynamics has continued the commercial deployment of its warehouse and industrial robots, while expanding the development of its humanoid systems.

Market also signals continues demand

International Federation of Robotics states that total number of robots installed in industrial applications in all over the world was approximately 540900 in 2024 which indicated for a 4th year running; more than half a million of units were installed new robots annually. The main concentration of facilities was in Asia and head of China, Japan and South Korea.

Global Competition Intensifies

For both investors in the Australia as well as the United States, the proposed transaction emphasizes the increasing importance of robotics technology in global manufacturing supply chains. South Korea continues to be the world's most robotically automated manufacturing economy by robot density, and the United States continues to be the world's third largest market for industrial robotics-after Japan and Germany.

If the deal is cleared, Boston Dynamics would be fully owned by Hyundai; the Korean group would have its hands on a highly recognizable name in the robotics business.

Source: Reuters

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