Chips & Hardware
Rivian spinoff Also partners with DoorDash for autonomous delivery
Also, a Rivian spinoff, raised $200 million in a DoorDash-backed Series C round to develop autonomous delivery vehicles, though it remains unclear if it will use Rivian's technology.
On Tuesday, micromobility startup Also—which develops small, lightweight transportation vehicles—announced a partnership with delivery company DoorDash to develop autonomous delivery vehicles. As part of the agreement, DoorDash participated in Also’s late-stage Series C funding round and is receiving a seat on Also’s board of directors.
The funding round establishes several key financial milestones for the startup:
- Series C round: $200 million, led by Greenoaks Capital
- Total funding to date: $305 million
- Company valuation: $1 billion
Also initially got off the ground with a $105 million investment from Eclipse, an early investor that also backs Mind Robotics, an external industrial AI company created by Rivian. Also itself began in 2022 as an internal R&D skunkworks project inside Rivian. The electric vehicle manufacturer initially set out to build an electric bike, collaborating with designer Jony Ive and his design firm LoveFrom. While Also’s first product is an electric bike, the company has also designed small, pedal-assist delivery vehicles. Amazon placed an order for thousands of these delivery vehicles late last year. The vehicles are designed to carry more than 400 pounds of packages while remaining small enough to fit in bike lanes.
The DoorDash agreement is the first indication that Also will develop autonomous versions of these vehicles, following statements from Rivian founder RJ Scaringe and Also CEO Chris Yu that almost any vehicle form factor is possible. However, it is not clear if Also will leverage Rivian’s autonomy technology. Rivian has developed its own custom silicon and autonomy computer, which Also could potentially use. Alternatively, it is possible that DoorDash will handle the autonomous technology component. DoorDash operates its own autonomy department, which developed an autonomous robot vehicle called Dot. Dot can travel up to 20 miles an hour and is currently delivering in the Metro Phoenix area.
Why it matters
This deal marks the first concrete step toward Also developing autonomous versions of its electric delivery vehicles, potentially leveraging DoorDash’s existing robotics expertise.