Amazon has acquired New York–based humanoid robotics startup Fauna Robotics, as confirmed by an Amazon spokesperson to The Robot Report. Around 50 employees from Fauna, including founders Rob Cochran and Josh Merel, will join Amazon as part of the deal.

Figure 1. Amazon Acquires Humanoid Robotics Startup Fauna Robotics.

Fauna recently introduced Sprout, a humanoid robot designed for research purposes, earlier this year. Amazon noted that it is taking a careful and deliberate approach to better understand the real-world potential of personal robots. The company expressed enthusiasm for Fauna’s mission to create capable, safe, and engaging robots, and believes that combining Fauna’s innovation with Amazon’s long-standing expertise in robotics and customer-focused devices will lead to new ways of improving everyday life. Figure 1 shows Amazon Acquires Humanoid Robotics Startup Fauna Robotics.

While the financial terms of the acquisition remain undisclosed, Fauna will now operate under the name “Fauna, an Amazon company” and become part of Amazon’s Personal Robotics Group. This move comes shortly after Amazon’s recent acquisition of RIVR, which specializes in quadruped robots for doorstep delivery.

Fauna Robotics has positioned its robot Sprout as a “modern platform for robotics development,” offering built-in capabilities like movement, control, and social interaction, while leaving developers to create their own applications. Co-founder Rob Cochran previously explained that the goal is to empower users with tools to build innovative and practical robotics solutions.

Amazon has indicated that it plans to continue supporting this developer-driven approach, expressing interest in learning from the creator community as they experiment with Sprout. At the same time, Fauna will keep pursuing new business opportunities as before. However, Amazon’s long-term intentions remain unclear—whether it aims to turn Sprout into a mainstream home robot or use Fauna’s technology as a foundation for its own humanoid or household robotics initiatives is still uncertain.

One particularly appealing aspect for Amazon could be Sprout’s safety-first design. Unlike many industrial humanoid robots, it is lightweight, features a soft outer body, and reduces pinch points—making it more suitable for home environments.

Amazon’s past efforts in home robotics have seen limited success. Its earlier product, Amazon Astro, launched in 2021 for home monitoring, elder care support, and virtual assistance, but has yet to achieve widespread adoption.

Source: THE ROBOT REPORT

Cite this article:

Priyadharshini S (2026), Amazon Buys Humanoid Robotics Startup Fauna Robotics, AnaTechMaz, pp. 362