Mobileye Global has agreed to acquire Israeli startup Mentee Robotics in a deal valued at approximately US$900 million, marking a significant expansion of the autonomous driving company into the fast-growing field of humanoid and general-purpose robotics.
The acquisition, first reported by Yahoo Finance and confirmed by Israeli tech media, is expected to be completed in the first half of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals. It represents one of the largest robotics deals involving an Israeli startup in recent years and underscores the convergence between autonomous driving technology and advanced robotics.
Mentee Robotics, founded in 2022 by Amnon Shashua, who is also the founder and CEO of Mobileye, focuses on developing AI-powered humanoid robots capable of performing complex physical tasks in real-world environments. The company has been working on full-stack robotic systems that integrate perception, decision-making, and motion planning, capabilities closely aligned with Mobileye’s core expertise in computer vision and autonomous systems.
According to people familiar with the transaction, Mentee Robotics will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Mobileye, retaining its research base in Israel while gaining access to Mobileye’s capital, engineering scale, and global partnerships. No immediate layoffs are expected, and the deal is seen as an acceleration rather than a restructuring.
Mobileye, which is majority-owned by Intel, has historically focused on advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous vehicle software. However, analysts say the acquisition signals a broader ambition to apply its EyeQ chips, mapping technology, and AI perception stack beyond vehicles, into industrial automation, logistics, and service robotics.
Industry observers note that humanoid robotics is drawing growing interest from major technology firms, including Tesla, Nvidia-backed startups, and Big Tech players seeking long-term productivity gains amid global labour shortages. By acquiring Mentee Robotics early, Mobileye positions itself at the intersection of autonomy, AI, and embodied intelligence.
Financial details released so far suggest the US$900 million valuation includes a mix of cash and equity, though Mobileye has not publicly disclosed the exact structure. Israeli financial outlet Calcalist reported that the price reflects strong investor confidence in Mentee’s underlying AI architecture rather than near-term revenue, as the startup is still pre-commercial.
The move also deepens Mobileye’s strategic footprint in Israel’s robotics and AI ecosystem, which has become a global hub for autonomy research. Analysts at Bloomberg Intelligence say the acquisition could diversify Mobileye’s long-term revenue base, especially as competition intensifies in the autonomous vehicle market and timelines for full self-driving adoption remain uncertain.
While Mobileye has emphasized that its core automotive roadmap remains unchanged, the company acknowledged that robotics represents a “natural adjacent frontier” for its technology, particularly in perception-driven autonomy.
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