Details on SPAC merger with Agility Robotics at $2.5B pre-money equity valuation

Churchill Capital Corp XI filed details from a Digitimes article discussing its proposed business combination with Agility Robotics, Inc. The article was published on September 5, 2026, and updated on September 9, 2026. The proposed merger values Agility Robotics at a US$2.5 billion pre-money equity valuation.

Agility Robotics' CTO, Pras Velagapudi, stated the company plans to unveil its Digit v5 robot by the end of 2026, with a commercial release targeted for the first or second quarter of 2027. The Digit v5 is described as the world's first cooperatively safe AI-enabled humanoid robot, designed to have greater lift capacity and reach, and faster battery charging. Velagapudi noted the robot's hardware will support compliance with the emerging ISO 25785-1 standard for dynamically stable industrial mobile robots, allowing it to work safely around humans without additional external safety systems.

Agility Robotics intends to use the funding from the SPAC merger to scale up commercial deployment of its robots and accelerate the development of its next-generation models. The company currently has its Digit robots moving totes and boxes for customers like Schaeffler, GXO, and Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada. The Digit v5 will include an ISO-standard tool-flange format, allowing for interchangeable attachments from various suppliers.

Velagapudi also addressed competition, particularly from lower-cost Chinese manufacturers. He emphasized that Agility's strategy focuses on minimizing the total cost of ownership by providing a complete, compliant solution, rather than prioritizing initial low cost which often sacrifices essential operational and safety features. He highlighted that the engineering and final assembly of Digit robots will remain in the US to ensure security, regulatory compliance, and component-level traceability in Western markets.