Amazon has acquired Rivr, a Zurich-based autonomous robotics startup known for its stair-climbing delivery robot, in a deal that underscores the e-commerce giant's interest in doorstep delivery.
Rivr's co-founder and CEO Marko Bjelonic announced the acquisition on LinkedIn, stating that the deal will accelerate the company's vision of building General Physical AI through doorstep delivery. Amazon's resources are expected to help Rivr deploy its robots on more doorsteps, faster.
Rivr had previously raised a total of $25 million, with a last valuation of $100 million. The company had received funding from the Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund and Bezos Expeditions as part of a $22.2 million seed round in 2024, according to PitchBook.
The Acquisition
The terms of the deal were not disclosed. Rivr had launched a pilot program in Austin with Veho, a package delivery company, last year, with the goal of scaling to 100 bots by 2026.
Amazon's acquisition of Rivr signals the company's continued interest in autonomous delivery solutions. Rivr's stair-climbing robot, previously described as a 'dog on roller skates,' is designed to navigate challenging delivery environments.
Market Context
The acquisition was first reported by The Information. TechCrunch has reached out to Rivr for comment. The deal is expected to boost Amazon's efforts to streamline deliveries and improve its overall customer experience.
