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Amazon.com Inc. acquired New York-based startup Fauna Robotics, becoming the latest technology giant to step into the burgeoning consumer humanoid market.
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The cloud-computing and e-commerce giant closed the deal for Fauna last week, according to people familiar with the purchase, who requested anonymity to discuss a private matter. Fauna is developing a human-like, 42-inch tall robot with arms and legs that can interact with people, walk, grip items and dance.
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Fauna started deploying the machine, called Sprout, to research and development partners in January. Sprout is smaller than rival humanoids, and Fauna sees it handling chores such as picking up toys and fetching food from the pantry in homes and offices.
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An Amazon spokesperson confirmed the acquisition, saying the company is “excited about Fauna’s vision to build capable, safe and fun robots for everyone.” Fauna’s roughly 50 employees will join Amazon and the company will continue deploying Sprout to outside researchers.
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“Together with Amazon’s robotics expertise and decades of experience earning customer trust in the home through our retail and devices businesses, we’re looking forward to inventing new ways to make our customers’ lives better and easier,” the spokesperson added.
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Fauna has raised at least US$30 million from Kleiner Perkins, Quiet Capital and Lux Capital. Amazon didn’t disclose the acquisition price.
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The robot startup will keep its name but will begin being referred to as “Fauna, an Amazon company.” Its co-founders Rob Cochran and Josh Merel will join Amazon as well. The company is moving from its office in New York to an Amazon building in the area.
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Fauna is joining Amazon’s Personal Robotics Group, part of the company’s operations division. But Amazon isn’t planning to deploy the robot in its operations and hasn’t yet determined exactly how the technology will be marketed to consumers.
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Amazon, in 2021, launched the Astro, a home robot that has seen limited traction. The company has demonstrated humanoid-like technology for package fulfillment and warehouse-related purposes, but Fauna’s technology would likely be aimed specifically at the consumer robotics market.
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If Amazon launches a humanoid product. it would compete with major in-the-works projects like the Telsa Optimus, Figure AI robot, offerings from Boston Dynamics and various startups. Apple Inc., Meta Platforms Inc. and Alphabet Inc.’s Google have all also expressed interest in the field.
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Amazon has made previous robot-related acquisitions, but those have been centred on fulfilling online shopping orders and package deliveries. Last week, Amazon confirmed it acquired Rivr, which makes a four-legged robot to help delivery drivers.
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