Serve Robotics, a leader in autonomous sidewalk delivery, has acquired Vayu Robotics, a pioneer in urban robot navigation using large-scale AI models. This strategic acquisition is a significant step in Serve’s mission to shape the future of autonomous delivery, positioning the company at the forefront of the evolving robotics industry.
Serve’s delivery robots have set the standard for last-mile autonomy, excelling in complex urban environments. By combining Serve’s advanced autonomy stack and extensive real-world sidewalk dataset with Vayu’s expertise in AI foundation models, Serve is poised to develop even more capable navigation systems, enhancing safety and accelerating entry into new markets.
The merger is expected to:
1. Accelerate Serve’s development and introduce new capabilities with Vayu’s advanced navigation for Serve’s third-generation robots powered by NVIDIA Orin.
2. Enhance training capabilities by integrating a high-speed simulation engine to complement Serve’s real-world data for diverse AI training.
3. Expand into new delivery markets like bike lanes, driving growth in revenue and customer categories.
4. Boost safety and operational efficiency, reducing costs across Serve’s fleet.
Vayu brings a talented team of engineers, researchers, and industry leaders to Serve, with founders Anand Gopalan, Mahesh Krishnamurthi, and Nitish Srivastava contributing their deep expertise in AI and robotics.
Vinod Khosla, Vayu’s lead investor, will join Serve’s Advisory Board to support its mission globally.
The deal includes an initial payment of 1,696,069 shares of Serve’s common stock to Vayu stockholders, with potential additional shares contingent on performance milestones. Certain stockholders may opt for cash instead of shares.
Serve will maintain a strong balance sheet and continue to secure ample capital for future growth, solidifying its leadership position in the market.
KEY QUOTES:
“With this acquisition, Serve solidifies its leadership position, not just in current robotic delivery operations, but in shaping the future of autonomous robotic navigation. This step marks a significant milestone in Serve’s roadmap toward wide-scale deployment of autonomous robots on sidewalks across the nation, aligning with industry predictions of rapid robot adoption,” said Dr. Ali Kashani, CEO and co-founder of Serve Robotics. “Autonomy is critical to our long-term goal of bringing delivery costs down to $1, and these new capabilities will help us move faster.”
“We are thrilled to join the Serve team and apply our AI foundation model technology, talent and expertise to accelerating the development of their autonomous delivery platform,” said Anand Gopalan, CEO of Vayu Robotics. “Serve is differentiated by unmatched operational depth, a proven ability to deploy robots at scale, and a relentless focus on driving down cost per delivery through autonomy. Combined with a strong balance sheet and a bold, clear-eyed vision, Serve is uniquely positioned to lead the future of last-mile logistics. We’re proud and excited to be building that future together.”
“AI models are driving a new class of robotics across a range of industries,” said Vinod Khosla, founder of Khosla Ventures. “We invested early in Vayu because last-mile delivery stood out as one of the applications where autonomous delivery robots could create immense value. Today’s acquisition combines Vayu’s technological breakthroughs with Serve’s large footprint to accelerate faster, safer and more cost effective delivery.”
