Wayve’s £1.1bn Series D Funding Marks Major Vote of Confidence in UK Tech
UK-based autonomous driving pioneer Wayve has secured a monumental $1.2 billion (£890 million) in its latest Series D funding round, valuing the company at an impressive $8.6 billion and cementing its position as one of Britain’s leading deep-tech success stories.
The funding round brings together a global mix of institutional investors, major automotive manufacturers and technology giants, and includes participation from Microsoft, NVIDIA, Uber, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan and Stellantis. Crucially for the UK tech ecosystem, the British Business Bank has invested £25 million as part of this round – one of the bank’s largest direct equity investments to date.
The Bank’s involvement highlights growing domestic support for high-growth innovation and signals confidence that Britain can not only develop world-leading autonomous driving technology but also scale it here in the UK. Its support follows reforms to increase investment into late-stage growth companies and aims to encourage further UK institutional capital to back home-grown champions.
Wayve’s embodied AI technology takes a unique approach to autonomy, using deep-learning models that can interpret real-world environments without the need for detailed maps, and has already conducted trials in cities across Europe, North America and Japan. With the new funding, the company plans to accelerate commercial deployment of its autonomous systems, beginning with robotaxi trials in London in 2026 and expanding to licensing its software to vehicle manufacturers by 2027.
The successful raise reflects both global investor belief in Wayve’s ambitious vision and the strength of the UK’s innovation ecosystem. Backed by world-class talent and capital, Wayve is well placed to drive the future of autonomous mobility from British soil.
