Balyo Company Profile: Business, Partners and the SoftBank Offer
Updated: 7 days ago
Balyo is a French company that turns standard forklift trucks into autonomous robots. It listed on Euronext in 2017, and in June 2023 SoftBank Group announced a tender offer for all of its shares at EUR 0.85 each. This profile sets out its business, its partners and that offer.
Balyo at a Glance
Fact | Detail |
Company | Balyo |
Headquarters | Arcueil, France |
Subsidiaries | Boston and Singapore |
Sales | EUR 24.1 million in 2022 |
Listing | Euronext, since 2017 |
Bidder | SoftBank Group, tender offer announced June 2023 |
Chief Executive Officer | Pascal Rialland |
Business
Balyo develops the hardware and software that make a manual forklift drive itself. Its technology, marketed as Driven by Balyo, navigates by geo-guidance: the truck locates itself from the building's existing features, so no wires, reflectors or other infrastructure have to be installed.
Partners
Balyo has global partnerships with two of the largest forklift groups:
KION Group, parent of Linde Material Handling and Fenwick.
Hyster-Yale Group.
Both were also shareholders, and both undertook to tender their shares to SoftBank.
The SoftBank Offer
Item | Detail |
Announced | June 14, 2023 |
Price | EUR 0.85 per share, in cash |
Premium | About 57% over the last closing price |
Shares committed in advance | About 41% of the capital |
Minimum acceptance | 66.67% |
Offer opened | September 2023 |
Intended outcome | Squeeze-out and delisting if conditions were met |
Shareholders that agreed in advance to tender included Bpifrance, Linde Material Handling, Hyster-Yale and Invus. SoftBank said Balyo complemented its investments in transport and logistics and would gain access to its network of technology companies and to funding.
The background was financial strain. Balyo had to extend its senior financing because it expected to be unable to make scheduled payments, and SoftBank provided up to EUR 5 million of interim convertible financing.
Note: this section is general information, not investment advice. Check current sources for the company's listing status.
Strengths and Challenges
Strengths
Navigation that needs no added infrastructure.
Partnerships with two global forklift makers.
A deep-pocketed owner in SoftBank.
Challenges
Modest sales and a history of financial pressure.
Forklift makers that are developing automation of their own.
Current Catalogue Coverage
Catalogue checked on 15 October 2026: 6 associated product records. The links below are representative entries, rather than a claim that every historical model is currently available.
Balyo FAQ
What does Balyo do?
It develops technology that turns standard forklifts into autonomous robots.
Where is Balyo based?
In Arcueil, France.
Who bid for Balyo?
SoftBank Group, which announced a tender offer at EUR 0.85 per share in June 2023.
Who are Balyo's partners?
KION Group, the parent of Linde Material Handling, and Hyster-Yale Group.
How big is Balyo?
Sales were EUR 24.1 million in 2022.
Sources
Business Wire: proposed tender offer from SoftBank Group for Balyo
