Serve Robotics to Acquire Diligent Robotics, Expanding Physical AI Platform Beyond the Sidewalk

Core Viewpoint - Serve Robotics Inc. has announced an agreement to acquire Diligent Robotics, marking its first expansion into indoor environments, particularly in healthcare settings [1][4]. Company Overview - Serve Robotics is a leading autonomous robotics company focused on developing AI-powered delivery robots, spun off from Uber in 2021 [16]. - Diligent Robotics, founded in 2017, specializes in AI-powered robot assistants for healthcare, having raised over $100 million from notable investors [2][14]. Acquisition Details - The acquisition involves a total transaction value of $29 million in common stock, with a potential earn-out of up to $5.3 million based on performance milestones [11]. - The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions [12]. Product and Market Impact - Diligent's Moxi robot has completed over 1.25 million autonomous deliveries across more than 25 hospital facilities, with annual sales per hospital expected to range between $200,000 to $400,000 [3][6]. - The acquisition will broaden Serve's market opportunity beyond last-mile delivery, enhancing its autonomy platform for indoor applications [6][7]. Strategic Benefits - The combination of Serve and Diligent aims to accelerate the deployment of Moxi robots, improving service efficiency for clinicians and validating high-revenue healthcare use cases [7][10]. - The integration of both companies' technologies is expected to enhance learning and scalability across their robotic platforms, creating a unified autonomy stack [5][8]. Leadership and Operations - Diligent Robotics will operate as a subsidiary of Serve under the leadership of Andrea Thomaz, continuing its mission to enhance healthcare productivity through robotics [9][10].