Wayve in talks to raise $2 billion from Microsoft, SoftBank
5 min read
British autonomous driving startup Wayve is in advanced talks to raise up to $2 billion from technology giants Microsoft and SoftBank, a move that would value the London-based company at approximately $8 billion and cement its position as one of Europe's most valuable artificial intelligence startups.
The funding discussions, first reported by the Financial Times on Monday, come as investors pour billions into rapidly advancing AI companies, particularly those developing autonomous vehicle technology. The talks are still in early stages and no final valuation has been set, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Major Tech Giants Back UK AI Innovation
The potential investment builds on an already significant relationship between Wayve and both companies. Microsoft and SoftBank were both participants in Wayve's record-breaking $1.05 billion Series C funding round in May 2024, which was led by SoftBank and marked the largest AI fundraise in UK history.[1][2]
This new funding round follows Nvidia's signing of a letter of intent in September for a potential $500 million investment in Wayve, demonstrating the intense investor interest in the autonomous driving sector. Founded in 2017 by Cambridge University researchers Alex Kendall and Amar Shah, Wayve has distinguished itself by developing "embodied AI" technology that learns to drive through end-to-end deep learning rather than relying on detailed 3D maps and hand-coded rules.[2][3][4][5]
The company currently operates testing programs in the UK and United States while expanding into Germany and Japan. Wayve has also secured partnerships with major companies including Uber for robotaxi services and Nissan for driver-assistance systems scheduled to launch in 2027.[2]
The potential investment builds on an already significant relationship between Wayve and both companies. Microsoft and SoftBank were both participants in Wayve's record-breaking $1.05 billion Series C funding round in May 2024, which was led by SoftBank and marked the largest AI fundraise in UK history.[1][2]
AI Investment Surge Continues
This new funding round follows Nvidia's signing of a letter of intent in September for a potential $500 million investment in Wayve, demonstrating the intense investor interest in the autonomous driving sector. Founded in 2017 by Cambridge University researchers Alex Kendall and Amar Shah, Wayve has distinguished itself by developing "embodied AI" technology that learns to drive through end-to-end deep learning rather than relying on detailed 3D maps and hand-coded rules.[2][3][4][5]
The company currently operates testing programs in the UK and United States while expanding into Germany and Japan. Wayve has also secured partnerships with major companies including Uber for robotaxi services and Nissan for driver-assistance systems scheduled to launch in 2027.[2]
AI Investment Surge Continues
The funding talks reflect broader momentum in AI infrastructure investment, with Microsoft recently announcing plans to invest $30 billion in the UK by 2028 and Nvidia committing £11 billion to UK AI development. These commitments are part of over $40 billion in new AI investments from tech giants in the UK market.[1]
Wayve's approach to autonomous driving differs significantly from competitors by using machine learning algorithms and camera sensors to adapt to traffic patterns and driver behaviors in real-time, allowing vehicles to navigate unfamiliar roads without prior mapping. The company has demonstrated this capability across 90 cities worldwide without requiring high-definition mapping infrastructure.[2][3][4]
If completed, this funding round would further establish Wayve as a leader in the global race to develop commercially viable autonomous driving technology, while strengthening the UK's position as a major hub for AI innovation and development.
Reference sources:
[1](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/16/tech-giants-to-pour-billions-into-uk-ai-heres-what-we-know-so-far.html)[2](https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/microsoft-softbank-talks-2-billion-investment-uks-wayve-ft-reports-2025-10-13/)[3](https://www.fastcompany.com/91407116/nvidia-eyes-500-million-investment-wayve-uk-self-driving-startup)[4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayve)[1](https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/microsoft-softbank-talks-2-billion-investment-uks-wayve-ft-reports-2025-10-13/)[2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayve)[3](https://thetechnational.com/wayve-and-nvidia-announce-discussions-to-evaluate-proposed-500m-investment-in-wayves-next-round/)[4](https://techcrunch.com/2025/09/19/nvidia-eyes-500m-investment-into-self-driving-tech-startup-wayve/)[5](https://wayve.ai/thinking/road-to-embodied-ai/)[1](https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/microsoft-softbank-talks-2-billion-investment-uks-wayve-ft-reports-2025-10-13/)[2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayve)[3](https://thetechnational.com/wayve-and-nvidia-announce-discussions-to-evaluate-proposed-500m-investment-in-wayves-next-round/)[4](https://techcrunch.com/2025/09/19/nvidia-eyes-500m-investment-into-self-driving-tech-startup-wayve/)[5](https://wayve.ai/thinking/road-to-embodied-ai/)