British self-driving startup Wayve is in early talks with Microsoft and SoftBank about a potential $2 billion funding round, in a deal that would value the London-based artificial intelligence company at $8 billion, according to the Financial Times.
Founded in 2017 by Cambridge University PhD students Alex Kendall and Amar Shah, Wayve has developed a breakthrough approach to self-driving cars, using machine learning and computer vision to teach vehicles how to drive through video and real-world data – rather than relying on pre-programmed rules.
The fast-growing company already has the backing of an elite list of investors, including SoftBank, Nvidia, Microsoft, Ilya Sutskever (co-founder of OpenAI) and Yann LeCun (chief AI scientist at Meta). Last year, SoftBank led a $1 billion round, with Nvidia adding another $500 million in September during CEO Jensen Huang’s high-profile visit to London with President Trump.
Wayve’s AI-powered software is designed to make any car hands-free. It is currently being trialled with retail and logistics partners including Asda, Ocado and Uber, with UK road tests scheduled for next spring. The company also signed a historic deal with Nissan, aiming to integrate its technology into Nissan vehicles by 2027.
From its humble beginnings in a garage, Wayve now employs more than 800 people across six countries, making it one of the UK’s most internationally ambitious AI projects. The planned investment – if completed – would signal continued confidence in Britain’s AI innovation sector, at a time when global competition in autonomous driving and artificial general intelligence is intensifying.
One of the key benefits of Wayve’s approach is its ability to handle unexpected scenarios — such as pedestrians entering the road or sudden deviations from other vehicles — making it a strong contender in the race to scale safe and adaptable self-driving solutions.
Industry experts hope that the introduction of self-driving cars will significantly reduce road accidents by removing human error, drink driving, and road rage from the equation.
Wayve declined to comment on the fundraising talks.
The post Wayve wheels in Microsoft and Softbank for $2bn cash injection first appeared on Investorempires.com.
