FORT Robotics to Go Public via $556.6 Million SPAC Merger
The physical AI safety provider will merge with Newbury Street II Acquisition Corp. to list on the Nasdaq.
FORT Robotics is merging with Newbury Street II Acquisition Corp., a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC), to go public on the Nasdaq. The move positions the company as a primary provider of safety infrastructure for the burgeoning physical AI sector.
The combined entity, which will be named FORT Robotics Holdings Inc., is valued at a pro-forma enterprise value of $556.6 million, with a pre-money equity value of $500 million. According to the merger terms, the transaction is subject to Newbury Street II's business combination deadline of November 4, 2026, unless an extension is granted.
The Trust Layer for Physical AI
Founded in 2018 by Samuel Reeves, who previously developed landmine-clearing robots, FORT Robotics provides what it calls a "Trust Layer" for autonomous systems. This machine-agnostic safety stack allows robots from various manufacturers to operate safely alongside humans in shared environments. To support this technical foundation, the company has secured 25 patents and achieved Safety Integrity Level 3 (SIL 3) certification per IEC 61508.
FORT has scaled rapidly, reporting 62% year-over-year revenue growth in 2025. The company has deployed more than 19,500 units globally and serves over 600 customers, including high-profile clients such as Google DeepMind, Zoox, and DoorDash. Recent expansions include the acquisition of Mapless AI on May 27, 2026, and a strategic collaboration with NVIDIA as part of the Halos for Robotics ecosystem.
Scaling Enterprise Autonomy
As autonomous robots transition from isolated pilot programs to wide-scale industrial adoption, the industry faces a critical bottleneck: safety certification. A standardized, certified safety layer is essential to prevent accidents and satisfy stringent regulatory requirements. By going public, FORT aims to establish a universal framework for trust that can be utilized by manufacturers, insurers, and governments alike.
"How we trust physical AI will be one of the defining questions of our time," Samuel Reeves, founder and CEO of FORT Robotics, stated. He noted that answering this question is a key enabler for moving next-generation machines into scalable, real-world adoption. Griffin Schroeder, a partner at Tiger Global, added that FORT has built a critical layer that enables enterprise autonomy to scale safely.
Future Outlook
Investors and industry observers will now watch for the finalization of the merger and the company's ability to maintain its growth trajectory as a public entity. While the valuation marks a significant milestone, the company's long-term success depends on whether its safety stack becomes the industry standard for physical AI. The market will be looking for further evidence of how the integration of Mapless AI and the NVIDIA partnership accelerates the deployment of autonomous systems in complex human environments.