Amazon acquires humanoid startup Fauna Robotics

Amazon has purchased Fauna Robotics, a startup known for creating "friendly" humanoid robots for individuals and companies, as confirmed by the company on Tuesday. 

"We are thrilled by Fauna's mission to develop versatile, secure, and enjoyable robots for everyone," an Amazon representative conveyed to CNBC in a statement.

"Pairing Fauna’s goals with Amazon's robotics prowess and our extensive track record of cultivating consumer trust through our retail and gadget enterprises, we are eager to innovate pathways that enhance and simplify customer experiences."

Fauna Robotics began in 2024, initiated by previous Meta and Google engineers. Earlier in the year, the New York-rooted business introduced Sprout, a two-foot high $50,000 bipedal robot, tipping the scales at 50 lbs, crafted to be "friendly and approachable" and "truly accessible" to programming professionals.

At the roll-out, the organisation affirmed that it had secured agreements with Disney and Hyundai's Boston Dynamics as preliminary clients.

Approximately 50 employees of Fauna are set to transition to Amazon in NYC, according to the company. 

In a LinkedIn post, Fauna's co-founder and CEO Rob Cochran expressed being "extremely enthusiastic" about Fauna's merger with Amazon.

"We are elated over what being part of the Amazon family holds for our future," Cochran penned. "From here on, we will proudly carry on as Fauna Robotics, now an Amazon subsidiary."

For over a decade, Amazon has heavily invested in robotics, mainly for enhancing its warehouse operations. 

In 2012, it purchased Kiva Systems for $775 million, which became the foundation for Amazon Robotics, a division concentrating on warehouse automation.

The company is turning to acquisitions again to strengthen its robotics knowledge. Amazon announced last week its acquisition of Rivr, a Swiss robotics firm working on devices aimed at "front-door delivery."

Amazon intends to utilise its robotics expertise and lengthy legacy in retail and technology to explore the potential benefits of personal robotics in improving customer convenience.

Previously, Amazon delved into home robotics with the release of Astro, a compact, mobile personal robot in 2021, priced at $1,600 but available only through invitations.

By acquiring Fauna, Amazon is stepping into a bustling humanoid robot sector. Tesla is crafting a humanoid robot, named Optimus, and aims to produce these at its factory in Fremont, California.