Krux
February 27, 2026
UK Self-Driving Startup Wayve Raises $1.2B From Uber, Nvidia
Published: February 27, 2026 at 12:36 AM
Updated: February 27, 2026 at 12:36 AM
100-word summary
Wayve closed a $1.2 billion Series D led by Eclipse, Balderton, and SoftBank, with Uber, Nvidia, Microsoft, and three automakers (Mercedes, Nissan, Stellantis) joining. The UK startup hit an $8.6 billion valuation selling what carmakers actually want: plug-and-play self-driving software they can install without redesigning vehicles. Uber added a $300 million kicker if Wayve hits deployment targets for London robotaxi trials starting this year. The money signals a bet that autonomy will be won by flexible AI platforms, not companies building their own cars from scratch.
What happened
Wayve closed a $1.2 billion Series D led by Eclipse, Balderton, and SoftBank, with Uber, Nvidia, Microsoft, and three automakers (Mercedes, Nissan, Stellantis) joining. The UK startup hit an $8.6 billion valuation selling what carmakers actually want: plug-and-play self-driving software they can install without redesigning vehicles. Uber added a $300 million kicker if Wayve hits deployment targets for London robotaxi trials starting this year.
Why it matters
The money signals a bet that autonomy will be won by flexible AI platforms, not companies building their own cars from scratch.