Amazon acquires Rivr, maker of stair-climbing robots

Rivr, an independent Zurich-based startup known for its stair-climbing robot, has been acquired by Amazon in a deal that reflects the e-commerce giant’s interest in home delivery. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Rivr co-founder and CEO Marko Bjelonic, who once described the four-wheeled robot to TechCrunch as “dog on roller skates,” shared shopping stories and LinkedIn. The information was first say about the deal.

Bjelonic said in his LinkedIn post that the acquisition “accelerates our vision of building General Physical AI through the door, bringing robotics and AI closer to global deployment,” meaning, clearly, that Amazon’s wealth should help Rivr get its robots to more doors, faster.

Last year, Rivr launched a pilot program in Austin with Veho, a package delivery company. Bjelonic said, at the time, he hoped to learn from the partnership with Veho and eventually reach 100 bots by 2026. It is not known if the company was able to reach those events.

TechCrunch has reached out to Rivr for comment.

Rivr impressed Amazon long ago with its driver program. Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund and Bezos Expeditions invested in Rivr as part of a $22.2 million seed round that closed in 2024, according to Pitchbook. The startup, which raised $25 million, ended up with $100 million.