Amazon Acquires Zurich Robotics Startup Rivr to Enhance Stair-Climbing Last-Mile Delivery
Amazon has finalized its acquisition of Rivr, a Zurich-based autonomous robotics startup, signaling a major push into solving the "last mile" logistics challenge, especially for automated deliveries in dense urban areas.
Key Innovation: The Wheeled Quadruped
Rivr’s flagship product is a quadrupedal robot with wheels. Co-founder and CEO Marko Bjelonic famously likened it to a "dog on roller skates". This hybrid design merges the speed of wheels with the agility of legged robots, enabling the device to navigate stairs and curbs independently to deliver packages right to your door.

Strategic Rationale
Early Investment: Amazon has supported Rivr for years. In 2024, the Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund and Bezos Expeditions joined the company’s seed funding round.
Funding History: Prior to this acquisition, Rivr secured $25 million in total funding, with its valuation hitting $100 million.
Scaling Vision: Bjelonic noted on LinkedIn that joining Amazon will fast-track the goal of creating "general-purpose physical AI," leveraging Amazon’s vast resources to deploy robotics at scale.
Path to Market
Rivr previously partnered with delivery service Veho for a pilot program in Austin, aiming to expand its fleet to 100 robots by 2026. While financial details remain undisclosed, Rivr’s technology will now integrate into Amazon’s global logistics network, tackling the toughest physical barriers in home delivery.
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Amazon has finalized its acquisition of Rivr, a Zurich-based autonomous robotics startup, signaling a major push into solving the "last mile" logistics challenge, especially for automated deliveries in dense urban areas.
Key Innovation: The Wheeled Quadruped
Rivr’s flagship product is a quadrupedal robot with wheels. Co-founder and CEO Marko Bjelonic famously likened it to a "dog on roller skates". This hybrid design merges the speed of wheels with the agility of legged robots, enabling the device to navigate stairs and curbs independently to deliver packages right to your door.

Strategic Rationale
Early Investment: Amazon has supported Rivr for years. In 2024, the Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund and Bezos Expeditions joined the company’s seed funding round.
Funding History: Prior to this acquisition, Rivr secured $25 million in total funding, with its valuation hitting $100 million.
Scaling Vision: Bjelonic noted on LinkedIn that joining Amazon will fast-track the goal of creating "general-purpose physical AI," leveraging Amazon’s vast resources to deploy robotics at scale.
Path to Market
Rivr previously partnered with delivery service Veho for a pilot program in Austin, aiming to expand its fleet to 100 robots by 2026. While financial details remain undisclosed, Rivr’s technology will now integrate into Amazon’s global logistics network, tackling the toughest physical barriers in home delivery.
Universal Music, ElevenLabs Forge Co-Created AI Music Platform for Fans and Artists
Universal Music Group (UMG) announced on the 10th (US time) that it has entered into a multi-year licensing agreement and a broader strategic partnership with ElevenLabs, an AI audio research and product company. This marks ElevenLabs' first collabor
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