SoftBank’s Vision Fund plans to double down on Katerra, a startup run by electronics industry veterans trying to build apartments and hotels faster and cheaper than traditional construction firms. The massive fund is expected to lead a $700 million round of financing that would value Katerra at more than $4 billion, up slightly from its previous valuation, people familiar with the matter said.
The deal would further demonstrate the fundraising prowess of Katerra, a four-year-old firm co-founded by prominent tech investors Michael Marks and Jim Davidson, and real estate developer Fritz Wolff. The latest fundraising comes despite some factory mishaps and construction delays that The Information reported on last year. The deal would pull Katerra’s total equity capital past $2 billion, and may make it one of SoftBank Vision Fund’s biggest bets in the U.S., behind WeWork and Uber.
