RIVR
RIVR, formerly Swiss-Mile, is a Zurich robotics company that builds wheeled-legged delivery robots. The design combines four articulated legs with a wheel at the end of each, so the robot can drive on flat surfaces at up to 15 km/h and switch to walking to handle stairs, curbs and gates. CEO Marko Bjelonic calls it a dog on roller skates. Its founding team of Marko Bjelonic, Lorenz Wellhausen, Giorgio Valsecchi and Alexander Reske built on research from ETH Zurich's Robotic Systems Lab, led by Professor Marco Hutter. Swiss-Mile rebranded to RIVR in 2025 to focus on last-mile delivery, after raising a US$22 million seed round in 2024 backed personally by Jeff Bezos. In May 2025 it launched with parcel platform Veho in Austin, Texas, and in August it piloted food delivery in Zurich with Just Eat Takeaway.com. Amazon acquired RIVR in March 2026.
💡Notable Achievement: Amazon acquired RIVR in March 2026, after a US$22 million seed round backed by Jeff Bezos.
What Does RIVR Do?
RIVR, formerly Swiss-Mile, builds wheeled-legged delivery robots that drive at 15 km/h and walk up stairs, and it is now part of Amazon.
“A dog on roller skates for last-mile delivery.”
Wheels and Legs
Drives fast, then walks stairs and curbs.
Pilots
Veho in Austin and Just Eat Takeaway in Zurich.
Amazon Owned
Acquired in March 2026.
What Can RIVR Robots Actually Do?
Cross-portfolio operational capabilities, manipulation tasks, and environmental competencies
Last-mile delivery robots.
Last-Mile Delivery
Wheeled-legged robots climb stairs to deliver parcels.
RIVR Robot Dogs
Showing 1 of 1 total model
Swiss-Mile
Manufactured by RIVR
Swiss-Mile by RIVR is an autonomous wheeled-legged robot dog designed for last-mile delivery and complex urban navigation. It combines four legs each ending in powered motorized wheels, enabling high-speed rolling on flat surfaces and adaptive legged locomotion for obstacles like stairs, curbs, and gates. Key capabilities include carrying payloads over 30kg, speeds up to 15 km/h, stair-climbing, 360° situational awareness via fused sensors, and AI-driven autonomous navigation with human remote support. Targeted at logistics and delivery markets, it handles sidewalks, bike lanes, road crossings, tight spaces, and the final 100 yards to doorsteps, optimizing routes while avoiding pedestrians, pets, vehicles, and obstacles. Weatherproof design supports real-world deployments, generating data for continuous AI improvement through reinforcement learning.
RIVR Timeline & Milestones
Evolutionary history, landmark prototypes, major acquisitions, and commercial roadmap
Swiss-Mile rebrands to RIVR
Swiss-Mile rebrands to RIVR to sharpen its focus on last-mile delivery while continuing to develop wheeled quadrupeds.
Source: therobotreport.com
Launch with Veho in Austin
RIVR partners with US parcel delivery platform Veho to launch wheeled-legged robots on the streets of Austin, Texas.
Source: rivr.ai
Food delivery pilot in Zurich with Just Eat Takeaway.com
RIVR pilots food deliveries in Zurich's Oerlikon district with Just Eat Takeaway.com, the first physical-AI robot to deliver food orders in Europe.
Source: rivr.ai
Amazon acquires RIVR
Amazon acquires Swiss delivery robot start-up RIVR, which spun out of ETH Zurich's Robotic Systems Lab.
Source: swissinfo.ch
RIVR Competitors by Category
Direct industry rivals grouped by specific robotics domain
What Makes RIVR Different?
Editorial AnalysisOrigin of Bots objective strategic assessment, engineering moats, and commercial hurdles
Key Strengths & Moats
- ✓Amazon backing and unique locomotion.
- ✓Live pilots in the US and Europe.
Core Strategic Focus
Scaling delivery with Amazon.
Road Ahead & Challenges
- •Regulation and safety of sidewalk robots.
- •No longer independent.
Corporate Ecosystem & Ownership Structure
Parent company relationships, historical acquisitions, and global operating facilities
Amazon
Acquired RIVR in March 2026.
Ownership & Acquisition History
Acquired RIVR in March 2026.
RIVR built on RSL research led by Marco Hutter.
Global Facilities & Operating Hubs
RIVR Headquarters
HQZurich, Switzerland
Frequently Asked Questions
8 AnswersVerified answers, company specifications, and deployment details about RIVR
What is RIVR?
RIVR, formerly Swiss-Mile, is a Zurich company that makes wheeled-legged delivery robots. It spun out of ETH Zurich's Robotic Systems Lab and was acquired by Amazon in March 2026.
How does the RIVR robot move?
It has four articulated legs with wheels on each end. It drives on flat ground at up to 15 km/h and switches to walking for stairs, curbs, gates and uneven terrain.
Who founded RIVR?
Marko Bjelonic, Lorenz Wellhausen, Giorgio Valsecchi and Alexander Reske founded it, building on ETH Zurich Robotic Systems Lab research led by Marco Hutter. Bjelonic is CEO.
Did Amazon buy RIVR?
Yes. Amazon acquired RIVR in March 2026, according to Swiss press, after the company had raised a US$22 million seed round backed by Jeff Bezos.
Why was Swiss-Mile renamed RIVR?
Swiss-Mile rebranded to RIVR in 2025 to better reflect its mission of driving the future of intelligent robotics and to strengthen its focus on last-mile delivery.
Where has RIVR delivered packages?
In May 2025 RIVR launched with Veho on the streets of Austin, Texas, and in August 2025 it piloted food delivery in Zurich's Oerlikon district with Just Eat Takeaway.com.
How much funding did RIVR raise?
RIVR raised a US$22 million seed round in 2024 backed personally by Jeff Bezos, before its acquisition by Amazon in March 2026.
What is the link to ETH Zurich?
RIVR spun out of ETH Zurich's Robotic Systems Lab, the group of Professor Marco Hutter that also produced ANYmal and the company ANYbotics.
Verified Data & Editorial Assurance
Compiled from verified corporate filings, official RIVR datasheets, and robotics engineering registries. Information has been verified against official manufacturer documentation. For commercial procurement or proprietary integrations, contact the manufacturer directly.